By Leighton Levy

THE simmering tension between Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dr. Kishore Shallow escalated this week, as Gonsalves criticised the omission of SVG from hosting any matches during Australia’s tour of the Caribbean later this year.
The West Indies are set to host Australia for three Test matches, slated for Barbados, Grenada, and Dominica. The subsequent five-match T20I series will see the first two games played at Sabina Park, Jamaica (July 20, 22), while Warner Park in St. Kitts (July 25, 26, 28) will host the remaining three. The home summer will then conclude with three T20Is against Pakistan in Lauderhill, Florida, followed by three ODIs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad from July 31 to August 12.

SVG’s exclusion from the fixtures has triggered a wave of criticism from Prime Minister Gonsalves, who has made a series of media appearances in the Eastern Caribbean, accusing Dr Shallow of failing to ensure his home country was included in the international schedule. His most recent broadside came on Tuesday night during the Mason & Guest radio show in Barbados.
“Given the poisoned state of relations between the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Cricket West Indies, how can there be any proper ongoing co-operation and collaboration between one of the member states of Cricket West Indies and Cricket West Indies in this current leadership?” Gonsalves declared.

In previous interviews, Dr Shallow, who will contest the upcoming general elections in St Vincent and the Grenadines as a candidate for the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), has rebutted Gonsalves’ claims, stating that the decision on host venues was based on cost efficiency, commercial potential, and cricketing strategy rather than political considerations.
“In the case of SVG hosting Australia in 2025, securing affordable accommodation with sufficient services, as well as playing conditions, were not favourable,” Shallow explained. He noted that St. Kitts, which was awarded the fixtures, has multiple accommodation options and adequate hosting infrastructure.

Despite missing out on the Australia tour, Shallow highlighted three other international hosting opportunities offered to SVG this year:
Two First-Class matches in the regional four-day tournament, the West Indies Women’s Blaze, South Africa Men’s A team tour of the West Indies, which includes two Test matches and three One-Day matches.
Dr Shallow has also revealed that SVG rejected the hosting of South Africa A matches due to the unavailability of the Arnos Vale playing field. Additionally, Dr Shallow reassured Vincentians that international cricket would return to the country next year:

SVG will host West Indies vs. New Zealand Men’s T20Is in July 2026.
Arnos Vale will welcome West Indies Women vs. England Women in three T20Is in May 2027.
The Women’s Super50 tournament will also be hosted in SVG in 2026 and 2027.

Dr Gonsalves’ criticism of Dr Shallow comes in the midst of SVG’s election season, where the Unity Labour Party (ULP), led by Gonsalves, is seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive term in office. Dr Shallow, as the opposition NDP’s candidate for North Leeward, has become a focal point of political and sporting debates in the country.

With the CWI presidential elections also looming in March, Dr Shallow has indicated that he will consult with CWI directors and stakeholders before deciding whether to seek re-election. As the dispute continues, cricket fans in St Vincent and the Grenadines are left to wonder whether this rift will have further repercussions on the country’s future in regional and international cricket hosting. (Sportsmax)