Uneasy calm among Ghanaian cricketers

Accra, Jan. 25, GNA - There is uneasy calm among the top brass of the Ghana Cricket Association (GCA), particularly between the past and present executives on one hand and the current officials and some senior cricketers on the other.

Mr. Prince Daniel Vanderpuye-Orgle, Chairman of the erstwhile Juvenile Cricket Association of Ghana has criticized the current executives of the Ghana Cricket Association of killing the game at the grassroots, stifling initiative and not doing enough to develop the sport.

He alleged that development funds from the International Cricket Council and the Sub regional body were not properly accounted for, a practice he said if not checked could hinder the progress of the sport. Some senior cricketers who pleaded anonymity corroborated Mr. Vanderpule-Orgle's allegations. They alleged that the current executive had hijacked the running of the game thereby discouraging corporate sponsorship to let the game grow in the country.

But the current Executive headed by David Quaigrine rebuffed these allegations saying, they had been running the association from their own pockets without government support.

The executives who include Mr Eddie Nutsugah and William Hackman told the GNA at separate interviews how they had been struggling financially to promote and develop the game without state support. They reckoned though that few individuals and the India Community had occasionally contributed financially towards international tournaments.

Mr Vanderpuye-Orgle said in Accra that the problem started when the Quaigrine-led administration initiated moves for the disbandment of the Juvenile association to make the GCA more assertive, apparently because the Juvenile association was overshadowing the GCA. He said this initial attempt failed and his administration managed to get the Standard Chartered Bank to sponsor the first cricket league some four seasons ago.

Mr Vanderpuye-Orgle said just as the league started to progress, "his detractors" succeeded in having the juvenile association disbanded and he (Vanderpuye-Orgle) was appointed Vice Chairman to Quaigrine. This, he said, he rejected and had since taken a backstage in the running of cricket.

He said what perhaps broke the camel's back happened three years ago when he was supposed to present a trophy to the winners of the juvenile cricket league in 2002 but was indisposed at the time of ceremony. The former Chairman said instead of liasing with his outfit for the sponsored trophy, the new executive for whatever reason, decided to purchase a new one to present to the boys.

Since the brawl, the league had been put on hold and the issue of new signatories to the juvenile account to enable them access money had not been effected.

But Mr Vanderpuye-Orgle alleged that in spite of this the current executive managed to collect monies meant for last year's league to organize a quadrangular tournament."

The former chairman said he was not trying to vilify anybody but thought the only way of developing any sport was through an effective juvenile programme, which he started together with an expatriate coach, Ras Bingi, and wished it be sustained.

He said the "Rasta man" Bingi, handpicked most of the boys who were now winning laurels for the nation, and asked "if such programme had not started where would the cricketers have come from?"

Mr Vanderpuye-Orgle urged the government to get more involved in cricket and to support and not to leave it in the hands of individuals.