Is the CPL good for the development of WI talent?

LAST WEEKEND was significant for the West Indies cricket team, as they won their second consecutive T20 International series.

Having beaten South Africa 2-1 in March 2023, the West Indies defeated the number-one T20 team, India, 3-2. What was pleasing was a glimpse of some intelligent cricket by players whose decision-making process, sometimes, can only be described as mind-boggling.

The West Indies jumped to a 2-0 lead in the series on pitches that required the application of batsmen that the Indians did not show. Though the Indians bounced back with two resounding victories, the victory of the West Indies last week Sunday was significant, as they were highly disciplined, led by the imaginative captaincy of Rovman Powell, and followed by structured, disciplined batting that showed excellence in all aspects of the game.

The inclusion of Shai Hope brought much-needed stability to a team that shunned stroke makers for power hitters. Naysayers quickly point out that some key player absences weakened the Indian team, but the West Indies can only beat who they play against.

On the contrary, Indian cricket may have to rethink its policy to bar its players from playing in leagues other than the Indian Premier League (IPL), as it is clear that their younger players lack experience in conditions foreign to the subcontinent.

The region will now focus on ‘The Greatest Party in Sport’, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). This is undoubtedly a well-organised T20 competition that is perhaps second only to the IPL. It has brought together the mix of Caribbean culture, carnival-like spirit, and T20 cricket.

In bringing overseas players to our shores, it was perceived that would lead to the development of our local cricketers. Indeed, two emerging players per team must play a minimum number of matches.

MEDIOCRITY

However, being franchise cricket, the owners aim to win at all costs. Most franchises owned by persons from outside the region have shown a penchant for selecting mediocre young overseas players, some of whom have played a handful of T20 matches over similar local talent. They have succeeded in providing international players for foreign teams with regularity. Many stars from New Zealand, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Australia have had their first outings at the CPL and matured their skills on our shores before moving on to their national teams. Very often, this is at the expense of local talent.

It has also become a spawning ground for their young cricketers to see where they could be distributed by the owners with multiple franchise teams worldwide.

This year is no exception, with fast bowlers from Pakistan and the United Kingdom being preferred over local talent, young spinners from Australia being preferred yet again to local spinners, and many mature players with no hope of playing for their own countries continuing to play in the CPL over similarly talented West Indian players.

But this is the nature of international franchise cricket and no fault of the CPL. The organiser’s job is to produce a high-quality cricket competition appealing to spectators, TV audiences, and sponsors.

In this light, we need a West Indies T20 league for our local players to get a competitive experience. The CPL can only pick more local players if they have somewhere to see them perform.

It is a gap that needs early filling by Cricket West Indies. With local first-class cricket and Super 50 competitions, a similar T20 competition is required, and the CPL is not the answer.

Another concern is diminishing crowd attendance at many venues. St Lucia and St Kitts have consistently had less than 50 per cent capacity. This is similar to most matches in Trinidad, and only the semifinals and finals in Guyana attract the spectator support that was present in the initial years of CPL.

SPECTATORSHIP DWINDLED

As Barbados returns as a venue, it will be interesting to see how many spectators turn up for their matches, as spectator support for international cricket has dwindled in that country.

Whereas Sabina Park would see more spectators for cricket than in any other format, it is now a pipe dream to see any high-level cricket at Sabina Park consistently, and certainly not the CPL, which will be absent for the fourth year running with no explanation as to why Jamaica has been excluded in the last two years.

But other aspects of the CPL need to be highlighted.

The staging of the competition has boosted economic activity in all of its host countries. The travelling juggernaut of players and support staff, officials, broadcast crew, and organisers amount to an influx of more than 200 people. Then there are local and some foreign spectators who patronise vendors, eating establishments, and local tourism.

They have significantly promoted local talent in sport broadcasting and its production. Engaging many graduates from the various broadcasting courses offered by the University of the West Indies Faculty of Sport, they have not only engaged local talent and expertise but seen them move on to the international stage, with engagements in cricket competitions worldwide.

Whereas the commentators are visible on screen, many of the production crew have similarly benefited from their involvement in CPL.

The CPL has shown commitment to sharing and imparting knowledge on their operations and expertise in management. Initially, through informal internships, they have partnered with the UWI Faculty of Sport to have a certificate course where participants undergo didactic theoretical learning before gaining hands-on practical experience.

This is done at each venue, where primarily local students enrol. Once again, many of the graduates are employed by the CPL, and others have moved on to other events.

We look forward to a successful CPL 2023. Its contribution to the Caribbean landscape is unquestionable. Its success in providing a local T20 extravaganza is admirable. Its role in giving opportunities to local cricketers over similarly matched overseas cricketers may have to be reviewed, but only if regional cricketers are allowed to display their abilities in a truly local T20 competition.

Sport Matters and Sport Pulse are fortnightly columns from The UWI Faculty of Sport. We look forward to your continued readership. Dr Akshai Mansingh, Dean, Faculty of Sport, UWI. He can be reached at akshai.mansingh@uwi.edu