World Blind Cricket Council Says Visit to Jamaica was Successful

The World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) is reporting that its seven-day visit to Jamaica to promote the coaching and playing of blind cricket in the island was successful.

In a report on the Jamaica visit, Tim Guttridge the WBCC Vice Chairman and Development Director for the Atlantic region including the Caribbean, said it was clear that Jamaica would be a major player in the formation of a West Indies Blind Cricket Council.

“Our week began with a visit to The Salvation Army School For The Blind in Kingston. On arrival, we soon realised that Jamaica were going to be major player’s in the formation of a West Indies Blind Cricket Council and also a West Indies Team.

We were met at the school by some teachers and about 70 pupils and ex pupils all wanting to play cricket. We soon realised that they had a wealth of talent just waiting to be released to the rest of the world,” Mr. Guttridge informed.

He said now that blind cricket was being played in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, the future of the game in the West Indies looked bright.

The hope, he said, was that the islands now playing Blind Cricket would take some responsibility in developing the game in Guyana, the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands.

UK Sport, Air Jamaica and Sightsavers International sponsored the trip on behalf of the WBCC and its partner the London Community Cricket Association (LCCA).

The Jamaican High Commission through its community relations office, the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Jamaica Information Service all supported the visit and gave valuable assistance to the organizers.

In addition to Mr. Guttridge the team that visited the island included Geoff Smith (Secretary General WBCC) Andy Sellins (Head Coach LCCA) Jamaican born Mike Thompson (Coach LCCA) and Andy Dalby-Welsh (Coach LCCA)

During the visit the team met with Officials of Jamaica Cricket Board including President Jackie Hendricks, Chief Executive Officer,Brian Breeze and other parties who will be instrumental in continuing the development of Blind Cricket in Jamaica.

The groups met State Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Senator Floyd Morris, and the Minister of Labour, Social Security and Sport, Portia Simpson Miller. They also met with the British Deputy High Commissioner, Philip Simkinson.

Mr. Guttridge said the group was accompanied on their visit by Vivalyn Latty-Scott the former West Indies International Player and Damien McLean.

The group also held three training sessions for players, coaches, umpires and others who wanted to be a part of the game. All of these sessions were held at Sabina Park.

He informed that the first meeting to establish a Blind Cricket Association had already been held in Jamaica and that national trials were scheduled.

The WBCC plans to return to Jamaica in January 2005 with a representative team from England to play promotional games and continue with the development programme.

The Council is also hoping to ship a Flix artificial wicket to the Salvation Army School for the Blind in Kingston, to assist in their development of the game.