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If the West Indies were performing at a consistently high level defeating all comers and providing competitive, entertaining cricket matches, Barbadians would not hesitate to pay to see the present tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya.

As it stands, the West Indies have lost their last five overseas Test series against Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Pakistan. The ongoing tour to Zimbabwe and Kenya just seems to be another one the horizon, some fans believe.

Fanfare spoke almost with one voice.

Many felt it was not worth it to pay for the series and the pull-out of star batsman Brian Lara makes the side's task that much harder.

This week the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) announced that it would cost $150 for the Test series or $75 for each Test and $25 for each One-Day match for viewers on MultiChoice TV Channel 57.

The first match starts at 2:30 a.m. (local time) today.

No, I don't think it is worth it, Desmond Grant, trainer of the Barbados cricket team for this year's Busta Cup.

Based on their performances over the past couple of years I don't think people would want to pay that kind of money. If they were performing, yes, everybody wants to see and support a successful team, but at this stage, I don't think this is worth it.

This view was shared by David Harris.

No I don't think so, he said with a laugh. With the way the team is playing at the moment, I think it is a waste of time. They just got beaten in a warm-up game against a soft district team from Zimbabwe and I don't see it getting any better than that, Harris said.

Zimbabwe gave them a good run when they were last here and I think it is going to get worse, it is not worth it.

Grant said people like to be associated with winning teams.

Since the West Indies have been chalking up an impressive losing streak, they won't get any support from Harris. He would pay to see them only if they were winning consistently instead of one match here and there.

The way the team is playing, we should be getting it free. Everybody should be able to see it, not just a certain few, Harris said.

People pay to see performance and the West Indies are not performing. They just got beaten by a Zimbabwe team, said André Scott.

They have to show something free. They have to take into consideration those who don't have MCTV. I would get up, but I won't pay for it although they should be supported. I won't be breaking up my night rest, Scott said.

Grant believes if the team plays to its true potential and does not underestimate the African teams, they could still win the tour, the first since 1997.

We know that Bajans in general love their cricket. I think it is placing a burden on them asking them to pay for cricket and they are just not ready for it. If you look around the country at this time, you would see a lot of young children playing cricket and they would like to see it as well, he said.

But there were two persons who thought it was worth the cost.

Neil Owen, who describes himself as an eternal optimist, said he would pay to see it although Zimbabwe and New Zealand do not have the big- name stars and flair like Australia, South Africa and Pakistan.

He is also keeping faith with the West Indians.

They are going to beat everybody and win everything, of course, said the national hockey player.

Yes. I think it is worth it, said Shawn Carter.I am a West Indies fan no matter what. Losing or winning, I believe the team will one day come back up and it is unfair that it is $150 and only available to people who have MultiChoice, everybody should have the opportunity.

Even with the poor performances recently, Carter said he would also sacrifice the extra hours of sleep to watch the matches.

I want to get up at 2 o'clock on Saturday [this] morning and watch cricket. Unfortunately, I don't have MultiChoice. But if I could get it on CBC, I am one person who would be watching it. My wife and I would be lying down in bed watching it, said Carter.

© The Barbados Nation