John disagrees with Bidding System

Any move by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to introduce a bidding system for matches by international touring teams would not get the support of the Windward Islands Cricket Board of Control.{{more}}

President of the four nation grouping, Lennox John told SEARCHLIGHT last Wednesday evening that his organisation was not in favour of such a system.

“I am not in favour of such a system”, John said emphatically.

The issue of the bidding system came to the fore last week when Trinidad and Tobago’s Cricket Board President Deryck Murray (Photo below) reported to his local press that the matter was discussed at the regional board level.

But John, who like Murray is one of the WICB’s Directors, revealed that a definitive decision was never taken on the proposed system.



John, who has been a WICB Director for close to two decades, said that if such a system should come into effect, it would be unfair to the smaller territories which lack financial resources.

“What it means is that only certain countries will always get the matches”, John said.

“The governments have spent millions of dollars on building new stadia for the World Cup, so we have to weigh the two,” John said.

John believes that it would be a travesty if such a system is used, in light of the fact that the territories which host international matches, now have ICC approved standards stadia.

The four Windward Islands of Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines all have enhanced facilities. Dominica recently commissioned a new cricket stadium, while Grenada and St. Lucia did some refurbishing to accommodate last year’s ICC Cricket World Cup.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, though, underwent major improvements to the facilities at the Arnos Vale Playing Field.

“I am still in favour of the current system where the matches are spread all around”, John added.

Murray, in his defence of the system, said that bidding would ensure a certain amount of revenue to the WICB and erase the losses normally incurred.

Murray, in explaining the thinking behind the move, said that the revenue made by the Board would then be shared among only the host territories.

Again, John was diametrically opposed, reiterating that only the larger countries would benefit and cricket would only be played in those which can bid highly.

This John said would not be good for the development of the game in the Caribbean.

Murray, though, believes that the bidding system may be in place in 2010 when the ICC Champions Trophy is hosted in the Caribbean.

Sri Lanka and Australia are due to tour the Caribbean later this year to engage the West Indies in Test and One Day Internationals. (RT)