I started following the Carribena T20 through a serendipitous surfing of Internet radio stations.At a little after 5.30 in the morning I tuned into Andrew Mason and another commentator talk about batsmen called Sarwan and Chanderpaul. Guyana was playing Barbados at the Queens'Park Oval and Barbados managed to lose the match chasing 110.They also lost their next match to Combined College and Campuses after being reduced to 0/3 after the first three balls. Laments about the once strong Barbados side aside, this tournament gives me hope for the West Indies Cricket.The West Indies have an advantage in the form of friendly time zone for radio and TV for Cricket's biggest market India and the passionate following in Australia and another potentially large market Bangladesh.
A T20 match played at 8pm and another from 5.30 amIndia time would siuit the Indian Television and radio audience perfectly.A series involving top four Mushtaq Ali Trophy Teams( Indian t20) and top four regional Carribean taeams will have a large following in India.Moreover, full houses at the Queenspark Oval gives hope that sufficient people could watch these matches.In a tournament like this, plenty of Indian first class and List A cricketers can get used to playing fast bowlers by running into Tino Best, Jason Holder,Kemar Roach, Andre Russell and the odd pacer the Campuses throw up.A tournament like this would take little over two weeks and the ideal time would be in summer, when with schools closed, lot of youngsters can see these matches.
I am looking forward to the next week of the tournament in St.Lucia. At least the second match is prime time for me with cricket over the earphones in the warm quilt playing on even as I keep falling asleep and waking up to Ramsaran bowling a hattrick ball.
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