UWI Unveils Plans for Cricket School

The creation of an international standard ground and the establishment of a cricket school are among the big plans of the University of the West Indies (UWI) in its quest to bring the institution back into the mainstream of West Indies cricket.

UWI pro-vice-chancellor and principal-designate of the Cave Hill Campus Professor Hilary Beckles revealed yesterday that plans were already on the drawing board to have the Cave Hill ground up to top shape in time for next year?s visit to the Caribbean by Australia.

"We believe we are the best university in the world...then we should have the best cricket ground in Barbados. Our intention is to bring the Cave Hill cricket ground up to international standard in the next five months," he said.

Beckles was speaking at a media briefing where it was announced the UWI team for the forthcoming regional Red Stripe Bowl competition would be sponsored by The Mutual.

It will be the first time a UWI side will be competing at this level and the professor also touched on plans by the university to allow those players who have been selected for its teams to benefit from credits towards their study programme.

The planned development for the Cave Hill ground follows the upgrade of the Mona Campus ground which was used for a match between New Zealand and a UWI Vice-Chancellor?s XI in June.

Beckles, however, conceded that a lot of work would have to be done to the outfield at Cave Hill in an effort to bring it to top standard.

Among the plans is the addition of another floor to the existing pavilion. "The plan has always been to develop another floor and that pavilion would be the cricket research centre," he said.

The facility would include lecture theatres, audio visual facilities, a library and online database. "We are going to have the best cricket library in the world. We are very serious about that," he said.

The international cricket field, indoor school and research centre and library will combine to form what Beckles described as "our cricket institute".

** SOURCE: Barbados Nation.