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Azim Bassarath is now into his sixth term as president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board. Sixteen years have gone, T&T cricket, how you feel? The late Alloy Lequay aside, Bassarath has now presided over local cricket longer than any other administrator. So as he enters his final term, at least his last consecutive term, what kind of president has he been, and what kind of legacy will he leave? Depending on where you sit in the fraternity, the answers to those questions could be quite different. The fact that Bassarath has been able to stay as president for 16 years says at minimum, that he has staying power. Since defeating the incumbent, Deryck Murray in 2009, Bassarath has seen off a variety of challengers, to the point this year, that there was no challenger at all. There could be a variety of reasons for that. It could be that his TTCB administrations have been so efficient and effective, that no-one in the cricket community saw a reason for change. But it could also be true that the structure of voting in TTCB elections makes unseating the incumbent difficult. Seasoned campaigner that he his, Bassarath has made the system work for him. It has also helped that some of his most vocal critics have lost influence within the TTCB structure for one reason or another. That may be good news for the president, but for an institution that is supposedly structured to be democratic, it can’t be the healthiest of situations when there is an absence of earnest debate or effective questioning of the executive, just to ensure that the best interests of all are being served. The organisation itself can be undermined. It still is baffling for instance that an institution as old as the Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Umpires Council was stripped of its voting power. The updated TTCB constitution does not allow for Bassarath to serve another consecutive term, so a new president will come in 2029. It will be interesting to see what succession plan, if any is put in place, or who positions himself to fill the president’s seat. The quality of that individual can say something about the Bassarath legacy. Right now, legitimate questions can be asked about how the TTCB is run. Since Dudnath Ramkissoon left two years ago, there has been no designated CEO. And when it comes to financial management, the case of the missing $500,000-plus that is still the subject of a police investigation, and the negative fallout from sponsors as a result, does not speak well for the TTCB’s internal systems. Work has since been done to strengthen the system of monitoring, but the organisation is still dealing with the consequences of that scandal. The TTCB, though, has been a leader in the local sporting community when it comes to the level of competition it facilitates. From regular zonal age-group competitions to senior tournaments in all formats, including T10, Bassarath’s TTCB has made cricket a year-round thing in T&T. But the success of every programme or policy is determined by results. So, dear reader, has the standard of cricket in T&T improved since 2009? Here are some stats to consider. At senior level, T&T teams have won five regional 50-over titles but have never been four-day champions. At age-group level, local sides have been Under-15 50-overs winners once, Under-17 50-over champs twice, and Under-19 50-over champs once. Notice, however, the lack of success in the longer formats. The minimal success at Under-19 level is especially noteworthy because that is currently the stepping stone for players to make it onto the West Indies team. And in recent years, T&T players have struggled both to get onto the regional side and make an impact at WI under-19 level. Make no mistake, the slowdown in the production of players to the regional side points to a lack in how players are being developed and prepared. More than one Under-19 coach in recent times has recommended that teams be prepared specifically for the formats they will play at WI level, something that does not currently happen when it comes to the three-day competition. So while the TTCB cannot be faulted for the quantity of preparation it has provided for its youth sides, the quality of that preparation has to be looked at. Since 2019, about 16 T&T players have represented the West Indies in the various formats. Among them have been players who have become global stars—Sunil Narine and Nicholas Pooran. But currently, one cannot identify the next Pooran or Narine; the next Dwayne Bravo or Kieron Pollard. That is something which should concern president Bassarath. A coherent system of talent identification would help. And there is opportunity over the next four years for the cricket board to address this. But whether it is player development or financial management, the Bassarath legacy will hinge on the quality of the people he leaves behind and the efficiency and integrity of the TTCB’s internal systems. There is work to be done.
