– GCB aiming for female franchise league
By Akeem Greene
Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Anand Sanasie is hopeful that Guyana can secure the rights to be one of the hosts for this year’s International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Twenty20 World Cup in November.
His quest for the hosting rights stems from him having optimism it will positively influence the development of female cricket in the country.
Anand Sanasie
“We are looking to promote women issues in the Caribbean and Guyana and most importantly develop our young ladies for the vastly improving international women’s cricket,” the official told Guyana Times International Sport on Wednesday.
In 2017, the under-19 team won the regional championships held in Trinidad and Tobago but the senior side has failed to replicate such performances, finishing in the penultimate position in the regional T20 tournament in 2016 held in Guyana and then last year in St Vincent and the Grenadines they finished fourth.
More so, there is a lack of structure domestically which is showcased with the undesirable results at the inter-county level. However, Sanasie is contending there is light at the end of the tunnel once they can acquire the necessary funds, they can implement a developmental structure.
“It is something we have a workable developmental plan. Financing is always the issue so we are hoping to garner some revenue to push that level. Our plan is to have women’s cricket at the under-19 and senior levels played as franchise level as we are currently doing with male senior cricket”.
Big boost for Guyana
Since the National Stadium hosted Super Eight matches in the 2007 Cricket World Cup and then group matches at the 2010 Men’s World T20, an ICC event has not come to these shores.
The Cricket West Indies Director felt that since the tournament will for the first time not be held with the men’s tournament running simultaneously, it brings a large international viewership solely to the women.
“The international viewership can boost the tourism sector significantly and outside of that there will be aggressive marketing strategies to get persons to come. The financial model that was proposed for the hosting would require a gate fee which would be kept a very low cost.”
He added, “It will be first of a standalone ICC women’s tournament and it will beamed live throughout the world which brings international recognition of having probably 150 million viewers. The idea is to have the West Indian type of carnival experience to fill the National Stadium.”
GCB are set to receive substantial support from the government through the National Sports Commission to have a successful leg should they be given the green light by the ICC.
“We did put in the bid, myself and [Director of Sport] Christopher Jones attended the bid submit and I subsequently prepared the bid on behalf of the cricket board and the government which was signed off and was successful at the Cricket West Indies level.”
is on the agenda of the Guyana Cricket Board
“The three successful countries would be hosting would be referred to the ICC for conformation on their part. It’s most likely we will be one of the countries but we have to keep our fingers crossed.”
West Indies, South Africa, England, Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have already qualified for the games which will run from November 3 to 24, 2018. West Indies women are the defending champions.
