PRESIDENT of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) Azim Bassarath understands why Cricket West Indies (CWI) has decided not to consider TT as the host country for matches in the South Africa tour of the West Indies scheduled to bowl off next month.
Speaking to Newsday on Saturday, Bassarath said, “It is difficult in these circumstances to really host any international cricket here in Trinidad because the virus is rampant. We are in the most serious position we have ever been since the virus hit globally.”
In recent weeks, TT has had its worst period since the covid19 pandemic as the country has recorded over 300 new cases per day on multiple occasions.
Anyone entering TT must quarantine for 14 days because of the pandemic. West Indies have a packed home schedule in the coming months, so a two-week quarantine would be difficult to accommodate.
On Friday, CWI CEO Johnny Grave told Newsday in a WhatsApp message, “Unfortunately our schedules are so tight we can’t have players in room quarantine for so long without being able to train, as that will mean we have to reduce the match schedules.”
Australia and Pakistan are expected to visit the Caribbean shortly after the South Africa tour. West Indies and South Africa are expected to play two Test matches and five T20 matches.
Bassarath agrees with the 14-day quarantine rule for people entering TT. “The Chief Medical Officer (Dr Roshan Parasram) was not budging from the 14 days...I think that under the present circumstances he was right and there is nothing we can do.”
Grave said he understands the Government has to put certain measures in place.
“Understandably they can’t allow anyone into the country at this moment without going through their quarantine requirements.”
The TTCB president urged the public to obey the covid19 guidelines to get the virus under control.
“If we behave ourselves for one month I think we are going to see some results, but everybody has to be on board and support the authorities and adhere to the instructions that are given out.”
Bassarath remains optimistic that Trinidad will be in a better position to host international cricket later in the year.
CWI has tried to limit players’ travelling during the covid19 pandemic. Sri Lanka and West Indies faced off in three T20 Internationals, three One Day Internationals and two Test matches from early March to early April. All those matches were played in Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
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