Having helped to provide a platform for the growth of cricket in the region, Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Chief Executive Officer Pete Russell admits that the organisation has a responsibility to play a greater role in the development of the game at the grass-roots level.

Created in 2013, the CPL has become one of the premier Twenty20 competitions in the world and has served as a launching pad for some of the format’s primary protagonists.

Russell, however, believes that the organisation and its franchises have an opportunity to strengthen their roots in the region and take a more hands-on approach to the unearthing and development of the region’s talent through the creation of a First-World academy programme, which would then serve as a conduit for top, young cricketers into the franchise teams.

“I would say that’s one area [grass-roots development] that we haven’t got right but it’s difficult because we don’t want to stray onto the patch of Cricket West Indies. I mean, at the end of the day, they obviously run cricket in the Caribbean and they’re very much responsible for the development of players at whatever level and we also make a contribution every year to help that process,” Russell told the Jamaica Observer.

“But, you know, I would say that as we evolve and I know we’re 10 years in now but we now know the product is as strong as it is and I think the next iteration is going to be well, how do we now integrate at the grass-roots level? How do we do more development things, whether that’s high-performance centres or other initiatives?” Russell added.

Russell believes that the establishment of training centres across the region for top Caribbean talent could prove an effective intervention where development is concerned and thinks this is a way for franchises and the CPL organisation in general to have a more hands-on impact on improving the standard of players from the West Indies.

“I think it’s about creating a structure where you do have a high-performance centre everywhere. So in all our franchise countries, you know, you want to have a centre of excellence, where the best coaches and players can be fast-tracked through that. So that you know they’re on the radar of the franchise,” Russell said.

“The system that we have at the minute which I think is it’s fine, is more based on scouting from the local franchise, and also then word of mouth which can work but it’s not ideal. There’s not a process but I think if we can create a proper high-performance structure, again with Cricket West Indies, where all the best practices are put in place so a player knows when he comes there he gets the best coaching, both from a physical and a mental perspective, all about preparation…If you want to become a first-class professional player, what is required and then obviously, streamlining them into the franchise in some way, whether that’s through the 6IXTY or whether that’s through the main CPL. That’s my vision,” said Russell.

“That’s how I think it can play out. I mean, obviously, that’s a long way to go and there’s a lot of investment required to do that but I think everyone would welcome something like this,” Russell shared.

The 2022 CPL season will come to an end on September 30.