Professionalism the missing link, says Harper - The Nation Newspaper

[Anguillan newsboy]

Former West Indies all-rounder and head coach Roger Harper feels that professionalism is desperately needed in West Indies cricket. Speaking yesterday at the launch of the Stanford 20/20 St Lucia Pro Team, for which he is the new head coach, the 44-year-old said professionalism and discipline needed to be instilled in the initial stages of players' careers.
"One of the weaknesses in the West Indies is our lack of true professionalism and in order to develop that at the international level you have to inculcate it at the lower levels in the territories and that is a point that most people miss when we speak about West Indies cricket," Harper pointed out.
"The challenge is to teach players professionalism and if we can do that in the territories then our performances will rise, that discipline that comes with professionalism will be a tremendous benefit," said the award winning former captain of Guyana.
"The (Stanford 20/20 St Lucia Pro Team) players here are paid to prepare better, they will have contracts and they are able to focus and pay detailed attention to the game and develop and improve," Harper said.
Apart from St Lucia, the latest Stanford 20/20 Pro Teams were launched in Anguilla and Nevis.
Stanford 20/20 Anguilla Pro Team head coach Cardigan Connor has described the advent of professional cricket in Anguilla as a "godsend". "The players are extremely grateful that Anguillans have been afforded the opportunity to become professional cricketers. Up to this point, they have played cricket for the love of the sport and now to be able to do something which they love and be paid for it, it is like a godsend," he said.
The former Hampshire fast bowler was speaking on the activation of the Stanford 20/20 Anguilla Pro Team. Anguilla is the second team to become "pro" following Antigua.
"Now they do not have to go to work and then come down to the park to practise after work. Cricket and training is their work and they are now in a position where they can regard themselves as professional cricketers and are in an environment where facilities and technology are at their fingertips, it is something that they only dreamt about," Connor said.
The coach said in his estimation the Stanford Pro Team was the best possible injection Anguilla's cricket could receive at this time.