BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Financial constraints faced by the St. Kitts Cricket Association may lead to the island’s team defaulting in the 2012 Leeward Islands Limited Overs Tournament.
Team St. Kitts is expected to compete against Leeward Islands cricket powerhouse Antigua and Barbuda for $10 000 in prize money in the final of the Nagico Leeward Islands Twenty/20 tournament on Sunday (Nov. 4) in St. Martin, and also to take part in the Nagico 50-over tournament that will follow.
The final was originally slated for mid-October but had to be rescheduled due to the passage of Tropical Storm Rafael.
Speaking with the team’s Coach/Manager, Donald ‘Dongo’ Farrell, he indicated that preparations for the tournament are going well.
He also stated that the mood of the team is like a family setting and that the players are working hard as they organise themselves for the competition.
Farrell however declared that the biggest challenge facing the team is the uncertainty of participation in the tournament due to the financial constraints currently being faced by the St. Kitts Cricket Association.
He also indicated that if the team does not participate in the tournament it would deprive players the opportunity of gaining selection on the Leeward Islands team and to further their career.
Consequently, Farrell is making a plea to all business entities, especially those that have benefitted from cricket in the past, to support the team in their endeavour as they seek to make the island of St. Kitts proud.
He also revealed that a loan was garnered by the President and Vice President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association for travels the team made earlier and those funds have since dried up.
Farrell also said that just paying for the plane tickets to St. Martin would cost up to EC$13 000 and indicated that they explored the option of traveling by sea, but explained it could not materialise.
The team is expected to depart St. Kitts on Saturday (Nov. 3).
The St. Kitts team got to the final after defeating Nevis in a three-match series prior to that of Anguilla in the semi-final.
