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The new covers for the Barbados Cricket Association's (BCA) leading competitions cost more than $50 000.

However, half that amount has been absorbed by contributions from the Virgin group, which officially presented the covers to the BCA just prior to the start of the 2001 season yesterday morning.

BCA president Stephen Alleyne said the sponsorship, part of which was secured by the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers, would ease the strain on the 14 teams competing in the Barbados Fire & Commercial Cup and Division 1 competitions.

"Nevertheless, the burden on the clubs will still be significant and we will be entering into discussions with the clubs as to how the impact on their finances can be made manageable," Alleyne told SUNSPORT.

The cost of the covers themselves was about £17 000, but there were additional expenses like insurance and freight, he added.

"We are extremely grateful to Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Holidays, who together have combined to provide the sponsorship, which would cover in the region of 50 per cent of the cost of the covers," Alleyne said.

There is a significant impact on the amount which the clubs will have to contribute to covers which will actually be theirs.

It is also very important to recognise and to thank Sir Garfield Sobers for the role he has played in obtaining a significant amount of the sponsorship.

Each club has been provided with three strips of plastic-type covering which is made from polyethylene with nylon threads. They were manufactured by England's Stuart Canvas, whose adviser for the West Indies is Captain Peter Short.

The manufacturers expect the material to last about five years.

The issue of covers has been a hot topic at domestic level for several years and among the concerns was adequate management of them. Under the new regulations, that responsibility will rest with home teams.

"That was for a particular reason - to clearly place the responsibility not only on the home club, but also on the individuals involved," Alleyne said.

A club is not only about what you can get, but what you can give.

Our expectation is, as has happened in many other top club cricket environments in the world, that the players themselves, where covers are required to be moved in quick time, will assist in doing so.

Alleyne is also president of the Empire Club, which has not hired additional ground staff to meet the challenging demands.

"At Empire, we have talked about it at length and we have identified a way for dealing with the covers as and when it is necessary," he said.

"We, like most clubs, are not in a position to acquire additional resources, so team members themselves are going to have to assist in the event that the covers are required to be used."

© The Barbados Nation