WI local: Good could be made better-Hitting out

The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) deserves commendation for its innovative plans for the 2001 domestic season.

There are still many `doubting Thomases' who feel the 10 a.m. daily start and the introduction of covers will turn out to be a major flop.

Be that as it may, we will only find out if we give it a chance. For too long, the Division 1 championship has not been the ideal preparation for those who will represent Barbados at first-class level.

Anyone who plays the game seriously knows there is a vast difference between a 1:30 p.m. start when the pitch is prepared on each day of the match to a 10 a.m. start when the pitch is only prepared at the start of the match.

It is my view, however, that a two-day match is still not totally ideal. While the playing days will be longer, the duration of a match will remain the same.

When you consider that a regional first-class match is played over 24 hours, clearly 12-hour matches at local level are not the best form of preparation.

Three six-hour playing days might have been a more meaningful option, but without knowing the exact nature of all the factors that had to be considered, one should not knock the BCA.

Under the present format, it seems as if more emphasis is placed on producing a champion rather than developing our cricket.

For want of a better word, I will say that attempts are often made to `manufacture' outright results in a lot of matches.

Just look at two matches played last weekend.

At Kensington Oval, Banks started the final day on 137 for five in reply to Pickwick's 241. Pickwick dismissed Banks for 177, then rattled up 92 for four off 17 overs before setting Banks a victory target of 157 in 23 overs. Banks ended on 126 for seven.

It was an almost similar situation at Dayrells Road where Wanderers started the final day on 121 for five in response to Carlton's 227. Wanderers were dismissed for 153 and Carlton quickly scored 84 for five in 13 overs, leaving Wanderers a target of 159 in 32 overs. Wanderers ended on 71 for four.

During the first two days, `normal' cricket was played, but it required `helterskelter' approaches on the last day to facilitate an outright result which was not achieved in either match.

Once conditions are good it is going to be very difficult to get outright results over 12 hours of play.

In view of the longer playing days in what is still an amateur set-up, it is predictable that some players will resort to the obscurity of the lower divisions.

It is not the goal of every Division 1 cricketer to represent Barbados and for those who work from Monday to Friday, it may be a little demanding for them to also sacrifice virtually their entire weekend.

It therefore might translate to fewer players having the desire to play Division 1 cricket. If that is the case, then it might to be time for us to have fewer teams.