WI local: Cricket break welcome

Cricketers are welcoming this weekend's break for Crop-Over activities.

The Barbados Cricket Association's decision to suspend play in all of its competitions has gone done well with most. And many plan to enjoy the festivities.

Some will be heading to Bridgetown Market today or tomorrow and others are looking at tomorrow night's Cohobblopot.

One such person is young Empire batsman Shawn Graham. 'I will try to enjoy the weekend. It is a good idea to get a weekend off, but I thought more people would have preferred to get the day off for the Party Monarch finals last weekend,' Graham said.

Graham's team-mate Jason Haynes intends to go to Bridgetown Market today, but he welcomed the break for another reason as well.

'It is a chance to catch myself, refocus and see where I went wrong in the first part of the season,' Haynes said.

Carlton manager Adrian `Smiley' Bailey also supports the idea of allowing the cricketers and fans to get the chance to enjoy the weekend.

Bailey, however, had one concern.'I think we have been having too many breaks this season,' he said.

'My team has had to start and stop on a few occasions. Too many breaks affect the preparation of a team.'

Bailey is heading to Spring Garden Highway today with his three children, but is looking to organise a practice match for the club tomorrow.

Carlton's Division II player Andrew Lythcott is undecided about what he would do this weekend.

'I do not have a clue. It is neither here nor there,' he said.

One cricketer who needs the break is Pickwick's Intermediate player Orson 'OJ' Simpson, who is heavily involved in the administration of the Cranston Browne's Players International Band.

Most of his weekend will be spent in the band house in preparation for Monday's Grand Kadooment.

'It will be a lot of work for me. At my level of involvement in the band, I will feel more comfortable in the band house than playing cricket,' Simpson said.

'It used to be tough before playing (the weekend before Kadooment).'

For umpire Clifford Clarke, who is also the deputy chief fire officer of the Barbados Service, the weekend will be a combination of work and pleasure.

Clarke is off-duty, but while he is attending Bridgetown Market, he will be carrying out fire safety duties.