Organizer of the popular Cool & Smooth T20 tournaments and former media officer with Cricket West Indies (CWI), Dario Barthley, said the Cool & Smooth franchise, through popular brand Joma Caribbean, will continue to support the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) with sponsorship of all national teams.
Barthley renewed the companyβs commitment to the national teams while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, stating that the countryβs national cricket teams will continue to benefit Cool & Smooth/Joma Caribbean brands despite the absence of the Cool & Smooth T20 explosion from the annual cricket calendar.
βThere are things that we were offering for free before hand, along with providing uniforms for all of the national teams. I want to add, via this forum that after thinking about it, weβre still going to provide all of the uniforms for all of the national teams because the persons that are against the Cool & Smooth T20, they are not the persons who stand to benefit from a lot of the initiatives we put on so we canβt let their attitude ruin it for everyone else. Weβve made that commitment and the ABCA is aware that we will still provide all of the uniforms for all of the national teams,β he said.
The high-profile tournament was cancelled for two consecutive years in 2024 and again in 2025. This was the result of stalled negotiations between Barthley and the clubs after teams demanded payment for local players.
Following a launch of the second annual instalment of the St Kitts leg of the tournament last week, Barthley said he is still open to bringing back the Antigua leg once all involved could reach a consensus that benefits everyone.
βI am all about the players and creating opportunity and Iβve said it on many occasions but for some reason, the thought that the Cool & Smooth T20 was making millions of dollars had crept into some peopleβs mind but our aim is to create opportunities. I am telling you, based on the people who have reached out to me since the launch of the St Kitts edition, itβs a pity so the overall regret is the fact that we donβt have an Antigua edition,β Barthley said.
Last week, Barthley announced that at least five youth cricketers from Antigua will be featured in this yearβs edition of the St Kitts and Nevis Cool & Smooth T20 Championships.
The tournament has been earmarked for May 15-25 at the Warmer Park Sports Complex and will feature five teams including defending champions, Molineaux Blue Runners. The other teams taking part in the tournament are Sandy Point Snappers, St Paulβs Barracudas, Government Road Sharks and Brown Hill Dolphins.
