Legendary former West Indies batsman and captain, Sir Vivian Richards, said having the support of the Antigua and Barbuda public will be a huge plus for the new Antigua and Barbuda Falcons during their inaugural season in the Caribbean Premier League.
Speaking during a media blitz held on the Good Morning Jojo sports show on Friday, Sir Viv said having bodies in the stands during matches at the Northside venue named in his honour, will be the perfect incentive for players coming out of a disappointing T20 World Cup exit.
“I know for sure they would have been disappointed with some of the results with the West Indies team in the T20 World Cup just recently held, but this is further cricket and it is an opportunity to see some of the younger individuals themselves looking to home-in on this and making sure that they can be sending a message to fans that this is where it’s going to be, and hoping that everyone turns up,” he said.
The 2024 season gets underway on the 29 August with the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons taking on the St Kitts Nevis Patriots at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium. One day later, they face the Guyana Amazon Warriors also at the North Sound venue. Both matches will start at 7pm.
Falcons will then face the Barbados Royals on September 30 at the same venue starting at 10:00 am before taking on the St Lucia Kings on September 3 starting at 7pm also at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
The iconic batter who scored a total 6721 runs in 187 ODIs, also hoped aloud that the new franchise can acquire the country’s top players for future instalments of the CPL.
“What I think may be exciting as well also in the future is that you have the bigger guns in the Alzarri Joseph and Jimbo [Rahkeem Cornwall] who have been very successful in this particular format and in the CPL itself so with hoping that in the future these guys, and I guess the negotiations might be going on at present in making sure these guys represent their home teams and I think that is also exciting in itself and so having that later on at some point, it’s even a further boost. I hope the fans can appreciate having this franchise here and hoping that they themselves can come out and support in a big way,” he said.
The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons are the newest franchise in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). They were officially unveiled during a gala opening ceremony hosted by the franchise owner, Krishna Persaud earlier this year.
Antigua & Barbuda Falcons: Imad Wasim, Brandon King, Fabian Allen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Amir, Chris Green, Fakhar Zaman, Roshon Primus, Justin Greaves, Hayden Walsh, Jahmar Hamilton, Teddy Bishop, Kofi James, Shamar Springer, Kelvin Pitman, Jewel Andrew and Joshua James.