In the crowd: BET man raps quality of game

His professional ties with BET no longer exist, but there is an even stronger link which binds Ralph Wharton to the Wildey institution.

Drawn by the desire to socialise with those he has associated with for many years, and, of course, his genuine love for cricket, Wharton is a regular in the crowd and a familiar face at BET when Division 1 cricket is being played.

'I enjoy associating with the group,' he said.

'Many people I worked with are still around.'

He was referring to the almost 20-year stint with BET which ended around 1985 when the former telegraph operator made a career change.

Until last October, Wharton, 52, was general manager of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions and now does general consultancies with an emphasis on credit union organisation and management.

His work commitments required him to travel extensively throughout the Caribbean, an opportunity he would like more Barbadians to experience.

'In Barbados we complain a lot. There is a lot to be gained by visiting other Caribbean countries. We must understand the various cultures. This would certainly help people to understand what is involved in Caribbean integration,' he said.

The concept of Caribbean integration is one he feels strongly about, and no wonder, since two areas which have been a major part of his life the credit union movement and cricket are among the major forces which impact on Caribbean unity.

'The University of the West Indies, cricket and credit unions are the three most dominant forces in the whole move towards integration,' he said.

Wharton emphasised the importance of recognising that the move towards integration could not be driven by the political directorate but by the people.

`Not many waiting'

Like most West Indian supporters, he was concerned about the current state of West Indies cricket. He believed the poor performances in England reflected the quality of the players as well as their lack of experience of English conditions.

'Not many people are waiting in the wings to push the current crop of players to perform.

'We need to identify a cadre of young, talented players who can be developed to form the backbone of West Indies cricket.

'While some have already been identified, I cannot say that an adequate development plan has been put in place to ensure these players are able to come to the forefront of West Indies cricket.'

He said the fall-off in crowds at local cricket reflected a wider trend in the society.

'There is a general apathy shown in almost every sphere of development in Barbados. There is not that vibrancy of past days in terms of interest in sports and community development.'

The BET supporter reflected on the days when clubs received support from the surrounding communities, but said cricket was suffering because people had a wider choice of activities.

Another reason for the low spectator appeal was related to the standard of the cricket.

'The quality of the cricket is not endearing except to real `die-hard' supporters,' he said.

The former Intermediate cricketer said a greater effort must be made to show more cricket on television since watching television was a popular activity for young people.

'We need to get youngsters understanding the game. Youngsters must be taught to identify with cricket as a Caribbean game and a sport which the Caribbean has done well in over a number of years.'

He said that while there seemed to be wide interest in the game at school level, it was important the talent was not lost between the ages of 13 and 16.

'This seems to be when they are going off the boil.

'I am disappointed that a player like Edison Rock, who dominated at the Under-15 level, appears to have gone off the scene.

'Facilities must be put in place and strategies developed to ensure that the talent identified at Under-15 level is developed.'

The rich cricket tradition at BET, he said, should continue to encourage young players to join the club.

He mentioned current and past Barbados and West Indies players who have played for the club, such as Peter Lashley, Wes Hall, Joel Garner, Floyd Reifer and Courtney Browne. Antonio Mayers made his debut for Barbados this year while former pacer Victor Walcott also played for the club. More recently, Corey Collymore also turned out for BET.

'Players coming to the club should be proud to play for an outfit that has made that type of contribution and they should aim to rise to similar heights.'