The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has left the financial health of Cricket West Indies (CWI) in a state of ICU says, president Ricky Skerritt.
The board recently commissioned a committee to look at ways of coming through the crisis and also to recommend best practices moving forward on how the board can survive financially.
Speaking to Guardian Media Sports Skerritt said: "This committee comes into place after the PKF review was done for six months and presented to the board last December. We had 26 recommendations coming out of that report and it is up to the (CEO) (Johnny Graves) and CFO (Barry Thomas) to take action."
He said, "What this committee will do is to look at that and also look at the emergency situation that this COVID-19 pandemic has thrown us into and recommend what can be done. We will expect a report from them in time for our next quarterly meeting on May 27 where all we will be dealing with is finances."
He added, "This crisis has put our already poor financial state into ICU. It is like going to the doctor with an illness and as he is about to prescribe the medication you get a stroke. This committee may expect to be looking to not massage on the body but make deep surgical incisions as far as the cutting back process goes. What we have been doing all the while is 'cost-saving' but I think the time has come for 'cost-cutting'." Skerritt in his first term as president of the regional association said that the board has had to carry some serious expenses and one of the biggest is the professional cricket league that is played in the Caribbean. "We have about 100 cricketers on retainers and the board has had to fund this professional league. This has come at great expense to us and all these things will be looked at."
Skerritt pointed out that the home tours where the West Indies will normally make their money has been affected by the COVID-19.
"We got a television deal for the New Zealand series but the broadcaster would not sign until there is confirmation that the series will be played. We are not sure if it will come off due to the pandemic. The South African tour is also under jeopardy and this will affect us even more," said Skerritt.
There could be more bad news around the corner for the CWI because if the International Cricket Council (ICC) cannot pull off the World T20 in Australia in October, it means that they will not be able to get their seven per cent share of the profits from that event, as a full member.
At the moment the ICC has said nothing about that tour but talks continue between the Australian government and them as they monitor the situation.
It seems as if the England Cricket Board (ECB) wants the West Indies to tour the UK badly next month which could put the regional board in a good position to bargain with their English counterparts, although no money is made by teams that are touring.