West Indies: Parris happy with changes

When the 2001 cricket season arrives there will be several major changes.

The days of 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. as operated from the early times of cricket in Barbados will be gone. The switch will be made to a 10 a.m. start and a close of play at 5 p.m.

Pitches will be covered.

There will be lunch at noon and a tea break in the afternoon. The days of the handful of sandwiches and a glass of mauby are numbered.

Tradition is at the root of cricket - its white flannels, umpires in black and white, baggy caps, and rich history, all add to the joys of the purists.

But are the new moves really a break from the old ways.

'No, I don't think so,' said Stanton Parris, a former Test umpire, who has played, officiated and watched local cricket since the 1930s.

'The new moves are not a break from tradition at all. They are major improvements. We are catching up with other things.

'Another area we can look at now are sightscreens. They don't need to be permanent structures. One side could have the sponsors on it and the other side, which faces the field would obviously be white.'

Parris endorsed the new changes mainly because they are expected to bring players in tune with the requirement of first-class level.

One issue which Parris believes needs to be addressed before the start of next year's campaign is follow-on targets.

'We have to look at the laws of cricket as they apply to follow-ons,' the former Spartan player said. 'In three-day matches the follow-on is 150 runs. In two-day matches the follow-on is 100 runs.'

He said the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) would have to determine if it would stick to the laws of the game, or seeing that the matches would be the same length of time (12 hours) as the previous three-day format, stick with the 150 follow-on mark.

With an entire day to play, clubs have the chance for money-making activities, so Parris feels.

'The question of two meal breaks is simply a matter of planning. Clubs can raise money by having raffles, frying fish cakes and other activities like that. They just have to look at the number of home matches, look at the money they need and plan their activities accordingly.'

Parris also touched on the umpires saying that fees would obviously have to be increased, and the role of the umpires might very well go beyond the 5 p.m. close.

He said that after play was over the umpires would have to foresee the covering of the pitches and this would require good supervision.

He added there could be a need for match referees, and before a ball was bowled next year, the BCA should look closely at educating the clubs about the pros and cons of pitch preparation, coverage and other niggling matters.

But Parris has the solution to any problems surrounding the covers.

'At club level in England, where I did matches, the fielding team brings on covers and this is not seen as anything undignified. It happens naturally,' Parris said.

'That is the way it should work, but I'm not sure it will happen here. Some Bajans think they are lords and they don't come to cricket to bring on covers. They may think it is below them to bring on covers.

'But it can work. All the new ideas can work.'