ENG v WI 2020: "We simply can't afford it", Holder on creation of safe bubbles for "smaller" teams

Teams like West Indies may not be able to save their fixtures through COVID-19 safety measures of the kind England arranged for.

West Indies cricket has been struggling financially for a while | AFP With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting nations' pockets in order to fulfil their international assignments through the creation of bio-secure bubbles, West Indies captain Jason Holder fears a lot of the "smaller countries" might not be able to get their matches through with similar safety measures.  

England was able to host West Indies in Southampton and Manchester, venues offering on-sight hotels, with significantly increased organisational expenses and will be conducting the rest of the summer fixtures against Ireland, Pakistan and Australia the same way, a luxury unaffordable to many other international teams. 

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"If something doesn't happen soon we'll see less international cricket being played by smaller countries because we simply can't afford it. We've gone from having four, five-match series, down to two and three," said Holder in a presser after his team lost the third Test and conceded the series 2-1. 

"And it's very difficult to host any more than that for us, particularly the Caribbean. So yeah, it is a serious dilemma that we're faced with. I think the relevant personnel really need to sit down and have a look at it."

Even before the pandemic, the game's finances at the ICC level being heavily skewed in favour of India, Australia and England, has seen teams like West Indies, Sri Lanka, New Zealand struggle for survival, with major dependence on revenue that comes from hosting one of the 'Big 3' nations. 

"We only really make money from England, and I think India. We break even with Pakistan and Australia, and all the rest of the series we play are losses. But in these trying times only England, Australia and India can probably host cricket," said Holder. 

"Outside of that, the smaller territories are struggling financially to get cricket on...if there's an opportunity for England to come over to the Caribbean before the end of the year, I'm sure that would help significantly for Cricket West Indies' financial records."

West Indies players and staff have had to endure major pay-cuts in this phase, as the cricket board in the Caribbean (CWI) strives to ride through this difficult phase. 

"It's been a tough couple of years in West Indies cricket financially. We've pretty much had to take a pay cut, so if it's possible to host a tour before the end of 2020, it would probably keep us afloat as an organisation," said Holder, who, despite the mental toll of the new normal, found solace in having spent time with players on the fringes through this UK trip. 

"I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It''s the first time I've had the opportunity to mingle with, more or less, the A-team players, because I haven't played much first-class cricket in the last couple of years."

"I'm not sure right now if Cricket West Indies could afford to have an academy, or something similar to Loughborough here in England, but that is definitely something that would help CWI," he concluded. 

(Inputs from PTI)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 29 Jul, 2020

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