By Carlena Knight
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Softball Cricket Association Robin Bascus Jr says they are waiting with bated breath for Cabinet to make a decision on the return of competitive cricket.
Bascus, while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show, yesterday, revealed that they have partnered with the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) in writing to Cabinet regarding the go-ahead for competitive play.
He is confident that once the all clear is given, they will have all their protocols in place and be ready as early as one week’s time.
“We already have two grounds … we have identified Bullets (Pigotts field) and Dredgers. We have lights at the two facilities and that will be our plan. We already ordered our balls; they are at Customs ready to be picked up. We already have our temperature guns and we are going to put up a few handwashing stations, so we are ready,” Bascus said.
Regarding the willingness of players, Bascus shared that there are a few who are skeptical but majority of them are eager to compete.
“You will get some feedback like ‘boy, me ‘fraid’; but the majority, which is 90 percent of the players, if they say cricket Sunday, they will show up and expect the executive in some way to knock up something for them to play,” he added.
As with his cricketing colleague and President of the ABCA, Leon Rodney, Bascus is convinced that cricket in general — whether softball or hardball — can be played without causing any risk to others.
“I just think that we can play cricket. If you look at how our cricket field is set, the space between the two umpires and the players, it is even more than the required social distance. We are giving you at least, 10-15 feet apart. I don’t see the logic in it, so I am not going to knock anyone, but I anxiously await what the Cabinet will reply and say to the letter that Mr Rodney wrote because I think it will be a turning point,” Bascus said.
Once the all-clear is given, the softball body will host a 10 overs tournament.