Former head coach of the Jamaica cricket team, Junior Bennett, has expressed grave concerns regarding the continued absence of the sport across the island.

With the exception of the national team preparing for the Regional Super40 competition, which took place in Antigua earlier this year, Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) sanctioned events have not taken place on the island since last year.

In addition to the danger posed by the pandemic, the JCA has cited the expense of creating environments compliant with coronavirus protocols as another hindrance to resumption.  Bennett, however, is among those expressing grave concerns about the effect the inactivity could have.

“It’s going to affect all the territories, there has to be some form of cricket for selectors to go out there and see the cricketers.  So if the pandemic continues it is going to have a very negative impact on our cricket overall,” Bennett said.

With the postponement of the regional four-day competition, one of the suggestions has been that teams organise locally to play internal competitions.  Bennett, for one, is in support of the idea.

“If it is impossible for you to have regional tournaments, then whatever cricket you get will help.  We had some young ladies who were supposed to leave the island and could not because of flight difficulties.  So, the pandemic is definitely creating a problem for us, and whatever cricket we get we have to be grateful for it.”