ICC World Twenty20

King Defends Lara; WC Tidbits

Mon, Mar 20, '06

 

Media Watch

While several local media outlets look at the West Indies 'A' team win and Carlton Baugh's matchwinning 71, most of the international media are focusing on the senior team's latest series loss. After capitulating in the first Test, the West Indies crumbled in the second Test, allowing New Zealand to claim the series with a crushing ten wicket win.

Bennett King is in full damage control mode in New Zealand, making all the right noises about both Brian Lara's and Shiv Chanderpaul's recent string of failures. "Brian is the world's leading run scorer and has as much passion for the game now and West Indies cricket as anyone else in our side and the same with [Chanderpaul]". While former Kiwi star Martin Crowe is suggesting that Lara was ill-prepared for batting in New Zealand, King dismisses the idea and says that "internal management" are simply managing Lara's cricket.

An editorial in the Jamaica Gleaner looks at the World Cup preparation and concludes that even if the venues are ready on time, there is no sign that the host team will be. The writer suggests that a 16 man World Cup squad needs to be identified and put together if there is to be any chance of competing successfully in the event.

A Stabroek News editorial ponders the ramifications of the the West Indies Cricket Board's acceptance of Caricom's invitation to become an Associate Institution. The writer voices the common concern about the ability of the WICB to pull off a successful World Cup, and points out that there is a lot at stake for Caricom as well, concluding that a closer relationship between the board and the regional body can only be a good thing.

Remember Ricky Skerritt? The St Kitts businessman turned West Indies manager is back in the news, this time as the Minister of Sports and Tourism for St Kitts & Nevis. Skerrit was in Australia, promising "world-class facilities, hospitality and service during the 2007 World Cup" to the CEO of Cricket Australia.

Grenada's Prime Minister is calling on the Grenada Cricket Board and other regional authorites to foster innovation in cricket. As the GCA President Kenny Hobson laid out a plan for fostering the growth of cricket in Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell pointed out that while the Stanford Group's 20/20 initiative was a good one, it is the sort of thing that shoudl have been done by the WICB.