Vincentian cricketers react to CCC’s cut from first class setup

Two Vincentian cricketers — Romel Currency and Miles Bascombe — have had their say in the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) recent decision to axe the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) from the regional first class cricket tournament.{{more}}

The WICB’s decision was taken at a board meeting held just over a week ago in Antigua and Barbuda.

However, Currency, who has represented the CCC at all three levels; the first class, the 50-over and the 20/20 regional competition, is disappointed with the latest happenings.

“It’s unfortunate that CCC has been expelled from the regional four-day tournament, as most people know, the vision of the CCC project was to allow persons to play cricket while studying,” Currency communicated to SEARCHLIGHT.

Currency, who was previously an opening batsman, but has since moved down the order, and who has been at the helm of the CCC team in the regional 50-over competition and 20/20 has found the move to be ironic.

“I can say that it contravenes directly with one of the major objectives that came out of the Pybus report which called for more cricket in the region… I hope the West Indies Board will have a change of heart before the regional tournament starts, because out of this very project, we have had student/athletes who have gone on to make the West Indies team – something that would have been impossible if not for this project,” said Currency, who has returned to play for the Windwards this year, after completing his studies at the University of the West Indies – Cave Hill, last year.

Meanwhile, in his assessment, Bascombe proffered, “Though I have never played a first class game for CCC, I can certainly speak to the opportunity that the CCC set up provides to pursue both a high class education as well as play cricket at the highest level… Training programmes and facilities there rival and surpass many national programmes.”

Continuing, Bascombe, who bats between numbers one to four, outlined: “In many ways what the WICB is trying to put in place now with the move to professionalise first class teams is similar to what has been happening at CCC for years, so it can definitely be said that CCC has contributed to the development of West Indies Cricket.”

Bascombe, who while playing for the CCC, went on to represent the West Indies in a brief tour to England in 2011 for two 20/20 matches, however concluded that it would have been a hard decision for the WICB to make.

“I am happy, however, that they chose to keep CCC in the Nagico Super 50….The players at the CCC are quality and will find their way to their respective national teams,” Bascombe proposed.

Apart from Currency and Bascombe, other Vincentians to have turned out for the CCC, have been fast bowler Kesrick Williams and Currency’s young brother Sunil Ambris, a middle order batsman and wicket keeper.

According to the release from the WICB: “At the two day meeting at the Tradewinds Hotel, the Board of Directors approved a recommendation for the WICB First Class Competition to consist of the six premier regional teams-Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Windward Islands.”

The CCC has reached the finals of the four-day and 50-over competitions. The team played its first matches in the KFC Cup one-day competition in October 2007, and, in 2008 contested the then Carib Beer Cup.(RT)