January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
$1m cut to cricket 'not a lack of faith'
Minister insists money will continue to be ploughed into the game
The minister said he had been forced to tighten the purse strings because of the recession.
But he insisted Bermuda's failure to qualify for a second successive World Cup and the loss of one-day-international status would not alter the Government's policy of injecting cash into its national sports.
And he said the development of the National Ccentre into a One-Day-International ground should still progress.
Speaking to the Bermuda Sun during the victory over Uganda at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom on Monday, Minister Blakeney said the results at the World Cup Qualifier had been 'disappointing'.
But he said Bermuda was competing against bigger countries and had done the best it could with what they had.
"You've got to remember that we have a pool of a few hundred players to pick from...
"I don't think anyone expected Bermuda to make the last World Cup. We're talking World Cup - we're talking 65,000 people.
"The investment is not just about results of the national team, it has to be about development as well.
"It is not just for the here and now but for the future which is why I feel we have made the right commitment with regard to the resources for soccer and cricket."
And he said that support would continue in a 'fiscally responsible' manner, despite the toll the credit crunch would take on sporting budgets.
He said that from what he had seen in the victories over Oman and Uganda the Bermuda team had shown good fighting spirit and comradeship.
But he hinted that changes may be required in future after coach Gus Logie expressed doubts about the commitment and hunger of some of the squad.
"The results are an obvious disappointment but the direction the BCB wants to take the sport is commendable.
"The coach has articulated some of his concerns and they need to be looked at seriously. I think if we are going to be contracting our players and paying them there has to be very stringent criteria on what is expected - code of conduct, fitness consistent levels of fitness testing, which seems to be an area where we fall down."
Despite calls for heads to roll after a 9th placed finish in South Africa, the minister said he wanted to work with the cricket board not against them.
And he highlighted an improvement in school sports as critical to the
development of winning national squads in the future.
"There has to be more sport in the curriculum. With the lengthening of the school days which Minister James has proposed we should be able to see that. We need to see that cross migration between the sporting bodies and the school system."
He added that long-term plans to develop the National Centre into an ODI venue and to provide a multi-purpose residential/sports facility for visiting squads at Southside would still go ahead.
"For the ground to be an ODI ground we need to make some significant changes there. It doesn't necessarily mean that should be placed completely on the backburner with Bermuda losing it's ODI status.
"An ODI ground can be available to a full international with other countries playing as well."
In previous interviews the minister has highlighted his desire to host teams like the West Indies for home internationals in Bermuda.
And he believes that with the improvement of facilities at the national centre and the construction of the Southside centre, Bermuda can attract more professional teams to the island.
He sounded a note of caution that progress would be slow on those projects in the current financial climate but insisted Bermuda's national teams needed to compete in more high profile home fixtures.
"I would like to see more teams coming into the county. I want the public of Bermuda to feel a commitment to supporting our best at whatever level we are competing and I think that has been lost.
"When I was growing up you would have 2,500 - 3,000 people at a local game. We had teams like Manchester United, Southampton and Aston Villa coming into the country for pre-season tours.
"That has been lost in both sports (football and cricket) and my thinking is that we need to bring that back.
"I have to speak to the cricket board to see where their heads are at. They have lost some funding and we need to see what their vision is where their focus will be."
BCB president Reginald Pearman said the board would be looking at its budget and all aspects of its plan to see how to proceed in the new financial climate.
[[In-content Ad]]
Comments:
You must login to comment.