Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 chief executive officer, Damien O’Donohoe is hoping that in taking
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – JULY 17: Sunil Narine celebrates after winning the match between Guyana Amazon Warriors and The Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in the Super Over, as part of the week 2 of Caribbean Premier League 2014 at Providence Stadium on July 17, 2014 in Georgetown, Guyana. (Photo by Ashley Allen/LatinContent/Getty Images)
the tournament to the United States, doors will be opened for it to be bigger and better.
The league, which bowls off in two weeks’ time, will for the first time be staged in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the Central Broward Stadium with a total of six matches down to be played by its six competing teams.
“One of the biggest moves that the league will make this year is playing in the United States,” O’Donohoe told The Gleaner.
“The US is one of the biggest sports market in the world, and to know that we will be making strides to tap into it is really exciting for us.”
“All the teams with their top international players will be involved, and it should be a fun-filled couple of weeks.”
The Florida leg of the tournament, which will be the final leg before the start of the semi-final play-offs and final, is set to bowl off on July 28 with perennial title challengers Guyana Amazon, led by New Zealand’s Martin Guptill, going up against the Kieron Pollard-captained, Barbados Tridents.
O’Donohoe, in the meantime, who has also expressed pleasure at the pace of ticket sales for Florida, is also hopeful that expansion will increase television viewers worldwide.
“We will be going there with hopes of growing the league, particularly as it relates to television rights,” he explained.
“The Caribbean television market alone is such a small market, and difficult to break even with, we need to expand. The hope therefore is that with the United States now a part of the mix, we will be able to improve our television offerings.”
He added: “The league going to Florida will also give Caribbean diaspora cricket fans, as well as diaspora fans from other cricket playing countries the chance to witness a number of their favorite players up front and personal.”
The Central Broward County ground has hosted four International T20’s between 2010 and 2012 with overwhelming support from the local fans. In 2010 New Zealand and Sri Lanka shared the 2-match series while in 2012 West Indies won both matches against New Zealand. In the opening series the batsmen struggled with New Zealand’s 120/7 being the highest score in four innings. On that occasion the Kiwis’ won the match by 28 runs having bowled out Sri Lanka for 92. The next day, Sri Lanka flipped things around by bowling out New Zealand for 81.
In 2012, the West Indies with an aggressive 85 from Chris Gayle made 209/2 to beat New Zealand (153 all out) by 32 runs. The next day West Indies also made a healthy 177/5 with another half century to Gayle, 53. New Zealand replied with 116 all out.
Gayle is the only batsman with two half centuries at the venue and his 85 is the highest individual score.
Sunil Narine’s 4 for 12 is the best bowling figures at the ground his seven scalps overall is the most by any bowler.
With fond memories of the ground, Chris Gayle will be looking to continue with the bat when the Jamaica Tallawahs take on St. Lucia Zouks on July 30 and 31 while Narine will look to continue his dominance when the Trinbago Knight Riders paly the St. Kitts Patriots on July 29 and 31.
The CPL, now in its fourth year, is scheduled to bowl off with defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders, captained by Dwayne Bravo, taking on the Darren Sammy-led St Lucia Zouks at Queens Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago on June 29 at 20:00 Hrs. (Jamaica Gleaner)
