Johnny Grave cautiously realistic about 2020 CPL
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…..believes tournament is important to helping W.I retaining World T20 title

By Rawle Toney

Cricket West Indies (CWI) Chief Executive Officer, Johnny Grave, believes that this year’s staging of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is unrealistic, but, stressed that unlike any other time, the Caribbean’s most lucrative sporting event, forms part of an important pillar for the West Indies in their quest for a third ICC T20 World Cup title.

Reports had stated that the CPL organizers are hoping that the tournament can still take place as scheduled in September, as plans are being developed to stage it behind closed doors, without overseas players, or in a ‘social-distancing stadium’.

With the Caribbean in lockdown and attempts to stop the spread of COVID-19, CPL organizers are being optimistic that fixtures could be among the first staged globally, though chief operations officer Pete Russell confirmed the league would try to avoid a clash with a postponed IPL season.

“I don’t know how realistic it is, but, I certainly can say that I’m in regular contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board and they will do everything they can do to protect as much as their English Summer as they can,” Grave revealed when asked for his opinion on the possibilities of the CPL happening.

Johnny Grave – Cricket West Indies CEO

Grave gave some insight into the ECB’s new ‘cash cow’, relating that “they’re entering a new Broadcast relationship with SkySports, which is worth (reportedly) up to 300M Pounds for this summer alone, so clearly the ECB is going to do everything they can to get that tournament going; if that means playing behind closed doors, if means chartering planes to fly players in, or playing under reserved conditions – everyone in the world of cricket is exploring every option and the CPL is doing exactly the same.”

With the West Indies being two-time winners and defending ICC T20 World Cup champions, Grave stressed that “If the world Cup can go ahead of schedule in Australia, in whatever circumstances, then clearly from the Cricket West Indies point of view as defending champions, it’s hugely important for us and our players, who may not have played as much T20 cricket as they perhaps may have expected too; to get some cricket being played and get some preparations.”

“It’s important also for our selectors also to look at the players and select a group of cricketers; not just the best on paper, but also those in the best form. So (the CPL) is really important and we really hope that the CPL can happen in some way, shape-or-form and I think all the players are reminded that we’re in a very difficult position and I think the fans will need to understand,” Grave said.

In a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, Chief Operations Officer of the CPL, Pete Russell said he hoped that staging the tournament as planned could be “a sign that the Caribbean is open for business again” once the worst effects of the pandemic have passed.

Russell believes that it’s good that the Caribbean was on locked down early, which prevented the virus from spreading as quickly as it did in North America and Europe.

He added that the CPL will only play if it’s safe to do so, but admitted that they have been approached by a lot of the countries who are anxious to be part of probably the Caribbean’s largest sporting event.

Russell said that while the CPL would not try to compete for eyeballs with the most lucrative T20 league in the world, he hoped that the IPL could “figure out their own window”.

If the tournament does go ahead as planned, it is possible that no overseas players will be involved due to health concerns and restrictions on international travel.

The CPL’s organizers are also drawing up plans to hold games while maintaining social distancing within a stadium, a situation which would involve all players staying in the same hotels and the tournament being held at one or two venues instead of the planned six.

The picture may become clearer next week, following an ICC meeting via videoconference in which board CEOs will discuss contingency plans, and Russell has been in regular contact with WICB chief executive Johnny Grave to work out how West Indies’ fixtures might affect the competition’s staging.

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