Bajan Gems head coach, Sandra Bruce-Small (C), hugs national captain
Damisha Croney (L) and manager Lynette Holder following a tournament.
Photo by George Alleyne
Caribbean Life, NOVEMBER 1-7, 2019 51
By George Alleyne
In a clear sign that the Barbados
Cricket Association (BCA) is focussing
on profitability and money owed to it,
the island’s cricket authority has rejected
an offer from Cricket West Indies to
host the loss-making ‘A’ section of the
coming Super 50 competition.
The Super 50 is the region’s annual
one-day competition that begins Nov. 6
and runs for approximately three weeks
ending with the final on Dec. 1. The
tournament is divided into groups ‘A’
and ‘B’ involving nine teams including
sides from the United States and
Canada.
Contests within Group ‘B’ will be
televised on US sports channel, ESPN,
and guarantees revenue to the host
country.
Barbados was originally offered
the opportunity to host the Group ‘B’
matches and the final, but because that
island’s independence day falls on Nov.
30, BCA requested time to clarify that
whether government will be holding a
parade and rally at the cricket venue,
Kensington Oval.
But reports coming out of Barbados
TODAY newspaper Thursday said that
by the time BCA verified there will be
no clash as the rally will be held elsewhere,
CWI had already awarded hosting
of Group ‘B’ matches to Trinidad
and Tobago.
“They … offered us Zone A,” BCA
president Conde Riley told Barbados
TODAY, and added, “the BCA’s Board
held an emergency meeting and based
on the amount of money owed to us
by Cricket West Indies, we concluded
that hosting Zone ‘A’ would have no
economic value for us because if you
are owned over a million dollars (Bar$1
= .50 cents US) and you host Zone ‘A’
where there will be no economic impact
to the country, we will be spending two
million dollars to host that zone and the
country will be getting nothing”.
Riley said that the Barbados leg of
the lucrative England tour earlier this
year saw most of the money going to
CWI, which continues to owe Barbados
considerable sums.
By Nelson A. King
Windiescricket says Hayden Walsh,
Jr. had “big dreams” of wearing the
maroon colors of the West Indies cricket
team and is ready to make the step into
the team after being named in the One-
Day International and Twenty20 International
squads for the upcoming series
against Afghanistan.
This is the leg-spinner’s first selection
to the West Indies squad and came
as a result of his heroics for Barbados
Tridents in the recent-concluded Caribbean
Premier League (CPL), Windiescricket
said.
It said Walsh took 22 wickets — six
more than the next highest wicket-taker
— and was “the talisman” as the Bajans
won their second title. The 27-year-old
was named the Most Valuable Player.
Windiescricket said Walsh is a member
of Liberta Cricket Club in Antigua,
where he is teammate of all-rounder
Rahkeem Cornwall, who was named in
the Test squad.
Walsh has represented Leeward Island
Hurricanes and Barbados Pride in the
West Indies Championship (four-day)
and Super50 Cup tournaments.
“It’s one of those boyhood dreams
that me and my younger brother Tahir
had,” Walsh told Windiescricket. “He
went on to be a star in track and field,
and I stuck to the cricket.
“When I got the call-up, my mind
flashed back to when we played in the
yard with my father, and we were imagining
what roles we would play in the
West Indies team,” he added. “Today, my
dream is reality, and I’m really proud to
be named in the West Indies team.
“This is just the beginning,” Walsh
continued. “I’m just looking forward
to getting onto the field and making a
name for myself and helping West Indies
win. That’s the main goal.
“It’s going to be a step-up,” he said.
“I’m going to have to zone in and bring
my ‘A’ game. I’m confident I can do
whatever the team requires of me. Also,
we have a few payers I have played with
in the team, and I’m familiar with everyone
in the West Indies systems; so, I
know I will fit in with the team unit.”
Windiescricket said Walsh has already
played at the international level, making
his debut for USA last year and appearing
in a single One-Day International
and eight T20s.
Walsh grew up in Antigua and honed
his skills on the island, under the guidance
of his father, the late Hayden
Walsh, Sr., who represented Leeward
Islands during the 1980s and 1990s,
Windiescricket said.
“I want to say a special thanks to
everyone at USA Cricket and the teammates
in the USA team who made me
feel welcomed while I played there,”
Walsh said. “It was a good eye-opener to
what it’s like on the international stage,
and it’s an experience I will cherish.”
By George Alleyne
Three down, is the toll for a miserable
showing of regional teams at the netball
World Cup that has led to sacking of the
Jamaica coaching panel and the Barbados
coach.
News broke Friday that Bajan Coach
Sandra Bruce-Small has resigned from
her post, and it was revealed that contracts
for the Jamaican coach, Marvette
Anderson, and her assistant Winston
Nevers, will not be renewed.
These coaching changes come against
the backdrop of the region winning no
medals as Jamaica, ranked third in the
world, managed only fifth position in
the tournament; Trinidad and Tobago
Calypso Girls 9th; and the Bajan Gems
12th out of 16 competing teams.
Jamaica’s overall world ranking
dropped to 4th coming out of the competition,
Trinidad dropped one place to
11th and Barbados also slid one place
to 13th.
The Jamaican Sunshine Girls, whose
highest showing in past World Cup
championships was 4th, were the most
disappointing as outings leading up to
the world tournament showed them to
be on form and a medal was expected
of them.
Replacements for the Jamaican coaching
panel are expected to be announced
soon as the Sunshine Girls will have to
gather in training camp shortly in preparation
for a Quad Series in England
where they will take on the hosts along
with New Zealand and South Africa.
Barbadians expected more of their
Gems because of the emphasis placed on
the game on the island.
The Nation newspaper that broke the
story quoted an unnamed source indicating
that the Gems’ coach resignation
was the best way out.
“If Bruce had not resigned, she would
have been given her walking papers. The
team is going nowhere, and Bruce didn’t
appear to have the answers to take the
team forward.
“Netball is in a mess and needs a
shake-up. Bruce could not continue but
the sport has much bigger problems
than the coach. The domestic league
is weak, so the national team can’t be
strong. The BNA is in crisis and an inhouse
review has to be done.
“It is not always the coach’s fault but
the coach has to take the blame. Sandra
used to work hard but probably could
have connected more with the players,”
the source said.
The Calypso Girls, the only regional
team to have won the World Cup, 1979,
appear to be content with their coach
Wesley Gomes, who is said to be working
on a rebuilding programme for the
team.
BCA President Conde Riley.
Photo by George Alleyne
Bell tolls for Caribbean netball coaches
Hayden Walsh, Jr. has ‘big dreams’
B’dos rejects
loss-making
cricket