Neita throws support behind Perry for JCA presidency

Veteran cricket administrator Mark Neita said he will be supporting Nehemiah Perry's bid for the presidency of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) at next year's annual general meeting.

Perry, who is a former Jamaica and West Indies cricketer, told STAR Sports recently that he is considering challenging Wliford 'Billy' Heaven for the JCA's top post. Perry ran for the post as first vice-president on Neita's losing slate in 2019, when they lost to Heaven in 2019.

Neita told STAR Sports that the Heaven's led administration has done poorly over the years and, therefore, it is now time for change.

"I will absolutely be supporting him because when I challenge Mr Heaven, he was my first vice-president on my slate, and so I think at this stage we really need to have some faces in cricket, because what we are doing is not working," said Neita.

"Cricket is in a terrible state and clubs have suffered under this administration, and our cricket has regressed a lot," he said.

"We are hardly playing in women's cricket and it is at all-time low. We have less people playing high cricket that we have ever had in our history," Neita underscored.

He added that cricket is being played worldwide, but there have been no attempts by the JCA to restart the game in Jamaica.

"The clubs have deteriorated badly because of the lack of support from the JCA, and this experiment with franchise cricket has not worked, and so I feel that it is time that we have a fresh thinking and that we move the cricket in a different direction," Neita said.

"Cricket is being played worldwide, and in Barbados and Trinidad and other countries, and so I believe that it is time for a change and so I think that Mr Perry, by virtue of his experience, is the right person for the job," He said.

The 52-year-old Perry played four Tests and 21 One-Day Internationals for the West Indies team. He is currently the manager of Kingston Cricket Club.