1. HISTORY OF CRICKET FOR THE BLIND IN THE WEST INDIES
by the Barbados Blind Cricket Association
In 2001 Mr. Clevedon Mayers as President of the Barbados Council for
the Disabled met with Mr. Roger Fuggle at Discovery Bay Hotel, St.
James, Barbados to discuss introducing Blind Cricket to Barbados. Mr.
Mayers approached the Barbados Cricket Association, the National
Disabilities Unit and the Paralympic Association of Barbados for these
Organizations to take up the challenge.
In July 2002 Mr. Mayers still President of the Council, held further
discussions in London with Mr. Andy Sellins Coach of the English Blind
Cricket. In October 2002, Mr. Andy Sellins and Mr. Timothy Guttridge
visited Barbados and demonstrated Blind Cricket with a Cricket Pitch at
an Exhibition called the Home Show which landed the Barbados Council
for the Disabled the top Prize for Most Outstanding Booth.
This was followed up by a visit of an English Blind Cricket Team to
Barbados in March 2003 where two matches were played. One against
the Celebrities in Queen’s Park and this was attended by over eight
hundred persons. The Team lost against the Celebrities who included
players like Joel Garner, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. The
second Match was against the Barbados Blind Cricket Association which
they won. These Matches were organized by the Barbados Council for
the Disabled.
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Affirmative action was initiated in July 2003, when a group of English
players/Officials visited Barbados to conduct a workshop for people from
the Caribbean. Two members of that party, namely Geoff Smith and Tim
Guttridge journeyed to Trinidad & Tobago funded by the Caribbean
Council for the Blind to make a Presentation on Blind Cricket at the
Biennial General Meeting of the Caribbean Council for the Blind. They
called upon the delegates to take up the challenge of introducing the
game in the respective territories.
In January 2004, a full English team visited Barbados for a series of
matches. Two Trinidadians joined their Barbadian counterparts for that
three match series, which the hosts lost but viewed as a step in
development.
Barbados was the first territory to establish its Blind Cricket Association.
(Barbados Blind Cricket Association) in 2005.
It was incorporated as a Non Profit Organization under the Companies
Act of Barbados on March 30th, 2006 with Company No. 26885.

2. Jamaica was the second territory to form its Blind Cricket Association
(Jamaica Visually Impaired Cricket Association)
In January 2005, a full English team visited Jamaica for a series of
demonstration matches. It was during this visit that the West Indies
Cricket Council for the Blind interim committee was inaugurated. At
this point only three countries were involved namely, Host Jamaica,
Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago. The members of the first interim
committee were as follows:
President: Daemion McLean.
Vice President: Leroy Williams.
Secretary General: Bhawani Persad.
Treasurer: Margaret Jones.
Cricket Development Officer: Vivalyn Latty-Scott.
In October 2005, The West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind was
admitted as a full member of the World Blind Cricket Council at a
meeting in South Africa attended by President Daemion McLean and
development officer Vivalyn Latty-Scott.
Trinidad & Tobago was the third territory to launch its Blind Cricket
Association (T & T Blind Cricket Association.)
In September 2005,with the support of the Caribbean Council for the
Blind, Training personnel from the World Blind Cricket Council and the
Trinidad & Tobago Blind Cricket Association, the First regional training
programme for mainstream cricket coaches from the Caribbean was held
at the National Cricket Center, Balmaine Couva. Nine (9) Coaches from
the following territories received training.
Guyana, Barbados, Jamaica, St. Lucia/Windward Islands and Trinidad
& Tobago were involved. The T & T players were also part of the process
from which was developed a model for future training to be undertaken
in the region. Other training programmes were subsequently held in St.
Lucia/Windward Islands, and Guyana. The programme for the Leeward
Islands has been put on hold because of the lack of funding.
Guyana was the fourth territory to launch its Blind Cricket Association
(Guyana Blind Cricket Association).
The Windward Islands launched its sub regional sporting organization
(the Windward Islands Cricket and Sporting Association for Visually
Impaired persons.)

3. In March 2006, two representatives of the following Countries- Jamaica,
Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and the Windward Islands
attended a General Meeting at the Pommarine Hotel, Barbados, where
approval of the Constitution of WICCB was given. The West Indies
Cricket Council for the Blind was officially launched by Honourable
Trevor Prescod, the Minister of Social Transformation.
The West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind Inc. was incorporated as a
Non Profit Organization under the Companies Act of Barbados on March
7th 2008 with Company Number 30419.
INTER TERRITORIAL MATCHES.
In May 2005, Barbados visited Trinidad & Tobago for a series of two
matches which the Barbadians won.
In November of the said year, some representatives of the Trinidad and
Barbados Blind Cricket Teams visited Dominica for a promotional game,
witnessed by a large and enthusiastic crowd at the Botanic Gardens
grounds. To date, Dominica has been the only territory in the Caribbean
where the game is broadcast live on National Radio.
In March 2006, some players from Trinidad again joined their Barbadian
counterparts for a weekend of cricket activities which saw the launch of
the Guyana Blind Cricket Association and two promotional games
involving mix teams.
St. Lucia and Dominica in late May 2006, gathered in St. Lucia for the
first Windward Islands Tournament for a week of cricket activities. They
were joined by Barbados for some promotional and development games.
In May 2007, The Trinidad & Tobago team visited Barbados and St.
Lucia for two matches in each territory. For the T & T team there was a
little history in the making for it was the first time since these two teams
have been meeting that T & T finally defeated Barbados in one of the
games thereby drawing that particularly series. In St. Lucia, the T & T
Team won both games.
Following the first Regional Tournament in Barbados in July 2006, the
first West Indies Blind Cricket Team was selected to participate in the
Third Cricket World Cup for the Blind in Pakistan in December of the
same year. The team placed fifth from seven participating nations. The
Caribbean Council for the Blind contributed significant funding to the
cause.
Prior to the team’s departure from Trinidad they were involved in a nine
day camp funded by the sports company of Trinidad & Tobago.

4. The Second Regional Cricket Tournament was held in Jamaica where
Jamaica retained the title. The Third Regional Tournament was held in
Trinidad & Tobago in March 2008 the finals of which were hampered by
rain resulting in both Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago being declared
joint winners.
In 2008, A West Indies team was again selected this time for a series of
matches against an under 19 team from the London Cricket Community
Association (LCCA now referred to as Cricket for Change). The two
matches were held in Barbados which the team won convincingly. They
were not as fortunate however, when they visited England, for a series
against the English senior Blind Cricket Team, losing both matches.
Our dialogue with the West Indies Cricket Board held in October 2007
have thus far resulted in some assistance being given for one delegate
being able to participate in the 2007 meeting of the World Blind Cricket
Council and having a link on the WICB web site. Discussion on
affiliation is a work in progress since it must start at the country level.
Focus at this time is on preparing for the Fourth Regional Tournament to
be held in Guyana, from July 18 – 26, 2009 to be followed one week later
by a series of Matches in Trinidad & Tobago involving the West Indies
and current world champions, Pakistan.
2011 Update:
• 5th Regional Tournament was held in Barbados from June
5th – 19th 2010.
• Australia Blind Cricket Team made its first visit to the Caribbean
at that time.
• The 6th Regional Tournament is to be held in Jamaica from July 15
– July 22nd 2011.