Another CPL season, another disappointment for the Barbados Royals. Thursday night’s agonising one-run defeat to the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots not only ended the Royals’ hopes but also brought into sharp focus the disparity between Barbados and the league’s more formidable franchises.
It was a must-win match at Kensington Oval, and for all the drama and late tension, it ended in heartbreak. A spirited chase fell short as Jason Holder’s brilliance with bat and ball left the Royals limping towards the end of their campaign with only pride left to play for.
In fact, in this moment, pride is all the fans can cling to as the hopes and prayers for a chance to move forward were dashed by none other than the Barbadian who captains the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
Bajan cricket lovers came out in admirable numbers, even when the team was winless and written off by many. Their support never wavered, and if anything, grew stronger once the Royals returned home. That kind of loyalty is a rare thing in sport. It deserves better than what the franchise has offered in return.
This season has shown once again that the Royals are lagging far behind the CPL’s elite. The Trinbago Knight Riders, in particular, stand as a model of what a competitive, well-resourced, and ambitious T20 franchise looks like.
Their squad’s depth, star power, and consistent performances are way ahead of what the Royals have been able to produce. And while the Royals boast individual talents like Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, and Rovman Powell, the team has lacked the balance and firepower required to win close games. Thursday night’s one-run defeat is the latest evidence of that.
We must not scapegoat the players. Many have given their all. Unlike Holder, who led by example, almost single-handedly dragging the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots over the line against his own countrymen in a match dripping with irony, the Barbados Royals had no such hero.
But cricket is a team game, and a T20 league as competitive as the CPL demands a certain level of depth and quality across the board.
The blame, we contend, must rest squarely on the shoulders of the franchise ownership.
The Royals’ inability to compete aggressively in the players market to attract stronger players appears to be holding the team back. Some fans have also argued that Barbados’ best players are to be found in other teams.
Other franchises have made valuable signings and built teams with clear strategies. The Royals, by contrast, appear to be plugging holes and hoping for better outcomes.
It is time for the Barbados Royals ownership to decide what they want this franchise to be. Is it merely a participant in the CPL, happy to exist on the margins, or is it a serious contender committed to excellence and representative of Barbados’ proud cricketing legacy?
Because we are no ordinary cricketing island; Barbados has produced legends of the game. Its people know cricket, breathe cricket, and support their team with passion and pride, even in the face of repeated failure. They have earned the right to expect more.
The franchise owes it to fans to build a stronger team. This means investing in stronger talent. It means learning from the success of franchises like Trinidad and Tobago and recognising that without top-tier players and proper planning, results like Thursday night’s will be repeated.
Even though the Royals have one game left to play and no path to move forward, the clash with the Trinbago Knight Riders must not be treated lightly. If only for pride, the Royals must show up with fire. Beating T&T would not erase the disappointment of the season, but it would provide a modicum of redemption and remind us that the team still has some fight left.
But after the final ball is bowled, the real work must begin to rebuild the team for its loyal fan base who continue to turn out in blue and gold or pink.
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