Barbados Fire and Commercial Insurance, sponsors of knock-out cricket, said they were sticking with the assocation whose annual season starts on Saturday.

And a report last night on Voice of Barbados suggested a brighter picture for a sponsorship deal for the BCA’s league competitions.

Speaking at the launching of the Barbados Fire Knock-out Shield competition at Kensington Oval, the company’s managing director, David Deane, noted that the BCA had been going through some very difficult times recently, some of ``its own doing''.

``We at Barbados Fire and Commercial, however, do not intend to part company with the BCA at this critical time of need,'' said Deane, a former Division 1 cricketer.

This is the 23rd year of sponsorship of knock-out cricket by Barbados Fire.

Deane, however, had a cautionary word to the BCA, which is still to conclude last year’s cup competition for Division 1 sides.

He said the association should ensure that there were speedy resolutions to any problems.

The appeal process for a disputed semifinal result last November was only recently concluded and a date is to be set for the final.

``Competitions like these cannot be allowed to languish and because of this I would like to suggest to the BCA that the responsbility for actions and decisions relating to this competition be given to the people who are intimately involved with the competition, namely the Barbados Fire and Commercial Knock-out Cricket Committee.''

Deane announced an increase in prize money for the record 49 teams in the Shield competition, which is for lower division clubs.

The winner will receive $4 000, up from $3 600; and the losing finalists$2 800, an increase of $200.

The losing semifinalists will each receive $1 200 and losing quarter-finalists $800 for total prize money of $12 400, up from $11 200 last year.

One change requested by the clubs has been granted. The two finalists will now play in the Cup competition.

Incentive awards will be provided by both Barbados Fire and Commercial and Life of Barbados.

The Shield competition starts on May 31.