Wright favours regions

Roger Graham • Published 3 Jul 2009 14:00

GREENOCK skipper Craig Wright has said he is backing Cricket Scotland"s favoured option of a return to regional leagues for next season.

Wright, who is also the Performance Development Manager of Cricket Scotland, stressed that his views on the matter are personal ones.

At the moment there seem to be three views on the direction the game should be taking. One is preservation of the status quo, which appears to be the least enthusiastically mooted; two is Cricket Scotland"s option of a return to regionalisation with a subsequent play-off among the top clubs in each region, and the third is that proposed by former Greenock president Jimmy Lepick of a breakaway elite league, containing all the top players, and arranged around the international programme in order that clubs may play their strongest sides. Several clubs, including Aberdeenshire, Carlton and Grange are believed to favour this option.

Greenock, as a club, have yet to have a meeting to determine their position. Wright said: 'Different people have different views. Speaking personally, I favour a return to regionalisation for what I see as the greater good of the game as a whole.

'The National Leagues were brought in with the intention of bridging the gap between club cricket and the international game and I think it"s been shown it can"t do that.

'The principles and intentions behind the National Leagues were good, but I think the reality is that there are not enough good players to go around.

'I think regionalisation would mean that clubs have to focus more on youth development rather than trying to win the league.'

It is that focus which Wright believes has been neglected, partly due to the priority of top clubs to win trophies.

Asked about the effects of the demise of school sport, especially outwith the main cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, Wright commented: 'I"m not sure the provincial club argument holds water and I believe it is sometimes used as an excuse.

'For example, Arbroath and Ayr have managed to bring on good young players. They will be strong in years to come with home-grown players under 21. There needs to be a proper structure within clubs to bring on youth progressively which involves local schools.

'This is not a criticism of my own club, but we could do better [in terms of youth development].'

Meanwhile Greenock head for the capital tomorrow for the second week running, this time to face Carlton, with yet another weakened side. Shailesh Prabhu is unavailable, Dougie Wylie may also be unavailable, while Richie Berrington and Moneeb Iqbal will be involved internationally.

Already minus injured international pair Sean Weeraratna and Dewald Nel, it leaves a massive hole in the Glenpark ranks. It certainly makes the task of winning, in a season in which seven out of eight league games have been lost, all the more difficult.

Meanwhile Craig Wright has said that he is to share the captaincy of the club for the rest of the season with Richie Berrington and Cameron Borgas. 'It"s not a big situation, it"s what"s best for the club. Obviously I"ve been away a lot, so has Richie,' he explained.

The lack of continuity, injuries and international call-ups, plus indifferent form and decision making, have conspired to make this a woeful season on the pitch for Greenock.

Wright himself has been unable to practise during the week due to progressive injury problems to hip and pelvis. He said: 'The last time this happened I had an operation, about three of four years ago, but at my age, and having given up international cricket, I think I may have to try and manage it. I really care about Greenock and I won"t leave them in the lurch.'

Wright said it was his hope to continue playing club cricket at Greenock after the end of the season, depending on both his fitness and personal situation.

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 03 Jul 09

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