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I am very sympathetic
to the views expressed by Kirby St. Michaels.
Obviously what is not known is that, at present, the Canadian Cricket
Association does not have the financial resources to send a team to
South Africa. Frankly, they have no prospect, plan, or organisational
capacity to raise any funds.
It is my understanding
that there is a private move to raise the
necessary $75000 to $80000 to send a team. The problem with that will
be who will do the selecting of the squad, and the final team. The CCA
would have little or no influence of which players should make the team.
Beyond the specific
problems with raising the money to send a team to
the next World Cup, it is questionable that adequate funds could, or
would, be raised to underwrite the costs of out of season practice
matches. The World Cup in South Africa will take place months after the
Canadian cricket season has ended. Months of indoor training, and indoor
nets, will not produce a viable team. The is no substitute, at any level
of cricket, for match practice.
It takes only
a cursory examination of the finances of the Canadian
Cricket Association to realize that the organisation is at severe risk
of imploding. I am sure that this news will not sit well with the
cricket fraternity. Equally it would not sit well with potential
financial supporters and/or sponsors.
I suppose that
it might suit some interests to send the lambs to the
slaughter, but would it do anything to serve the interest of Canadian
cricket as a whole. I am not a top down supporter, I do not subscibe to
the trickle down theory. The truth is often uncomfortable, but
eventually it has to be faced.
It may be better
to face that particular truth of penury, right now.
The reality of
cricket in Canada is that club players are the bedrock of
the game. That bedrock should not be plundered by the cricket equivelant
of an Enron, and we should beware the high-flyers. If they succed in raising
the funds for the World Cup in South Africa, they will also control the
game in Canada.
Jon Harris
Toronto
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