Cricket clubs in T&T have taken difference stance with regards how to deal with their foreign players in light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world.
Several regional players would have been in T&T representing local clubs in the domestic cricket competition. The T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) has postponed its competition with two rounds to go in the league phase, a decision which affected several teams.
Most of the foreign players have since flown back to their native countries as the cost of keeping the player here with no play seem possible anytime soon proved too much for the clubs to bear.
Some clubs which were tardy in having their players leave T&T before the deadline which saw the T&T government locking down its borders and closing its air space, must foot the bill for the cricketers who are nowhere. However, some clubs have decided to take on the extra costs and keep their players with the hope that things will turn around quick enough so that the season can resume.
There was a report in the Stabroek News out of the Guyana which stated that several Guyanese players have been locked-in T&T and cannot return home. One of the players mentioned is all-rounder Paul Wintz who plays for Woodland cricket club in the South Zone Division I Tournament.
Club chairman Stephen Ramkissoon spoke to Guardian Media Sports and said there was no issue with Wintz.
"There is no issue with Paul in terms of him wanting to go back to Guyana and not being able to. Yes, the borders have been closed but Wintz had no intention of going home after this situation broke. We said he would stay in Trinidad with the club until such time that the situation clears and hopefully the cricket resumes.
"We as a club see Paul as part of our family and we will take care of him during this time. Yes, it is an extra cost to the club but we will undertake this because you take care of your players who have been coming here year after year to serve your club. At the moment both our foreign players in Paul and Bryan Gayle from Jamaica are staying on and looking to continue to serve the club well when the league resumes."
Central Sports owner Richard Ramkissoon also had a Guyanese player in Trevon Griffith and a Windward Islander in Alex Antoine and both have returned home. Central Sports which plays in the top flight of local cricket and leads the standings with two rounds remaining had their two players returned home.
Ramkissoon said: "It is difficult to continue to fund the players while there is no cricket. It means that if the league resumes, then the local season would be extended and as such, it becomes more costly for clubs to keep players in T&T.
"I have been able to negotiate with the landlord who kept both players and they have taken back the apartment at no extra costs to the club. We are a proactive club and we moved quickly to get our players out before the borders closed. Once the TTCB announced that the cricket was being postponed, we moved quickly.
"When and if the league resumes this season we will then look at bringing our players back to finish off the cricket."