There will be no Red Stripe Bowl cricket in Antigua this year,
thanks to high-stakes arm-twisting by beverage manufacturer Desnoes
& Geddes, the company that sponsors the regional one-day
tournament.
According to insiders, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) had
already confirmed a schedule to host the two zones of early-round
matches in Antigua and St Lucia but was told at the last minute by
D&G that one zone of the Red Stripe Bowl must be held in
Jamaica. The tournament starts on August 14.
Mali Richards, the heralded son of former West Indies legend Viv
Richards, has been named in Leeward Islands squad to play in the
regional Under-19 tournament in Jamaica next month.
The appearance of the 18-year-old Mali in the Leewards Under-19
squad is sure to set tongues wagging around the Caribbean,
especially since recent reports suggested he might consider the
possibility of representing England, where he was born.
Former executive secretary of the West Indies Cricket Board
(WICB) Andrew Sealy, who found himself embroiled in the stock
market investment controversy that led to US$500,000 in losses, is
pushing for a seat on the Barbados Cricket Association's (BCA)
board of management.
According to a report in the Barbados Nation, Sealy has
submitted nomination papers to the BCA, looking to fill a vacant
seat when the BCA's membership votes at its general meeting next
Tuesday.
West Indies seniors Carl Hooper and Shiv Chanderpaul will miss
the Guyana's inter-county limited overs competition. According to
reports out of the South American country, Hooper is at home with
his family in Australia and won't be available while Chanderpaul is
said to be vacationing in the U.S.
Opener Azeemul Haniff, also abroad on vacation, will also miss the
country's premier limited overs tournament, which begins this
weekend at Hampton Court, in Essequibo. The absence of the three
will hurt the chances of the Demerara side, which is also missing
pacer Reon King who is currently touring with the West Indies 'A'
team in the United Kingdom.
Barbados-born Roland Butcher, the first black cricketer to
represent England, wants to coach the West Indies team.
According to a report in the Barbados Nation, the 48-year-old
Butcher plans to apply for the job of West Indies coach should the
post become vacant when coach Roger Harper's contract expires at
the end of next year.
I don't know what the plans of the West Indies Cricket Board are.
Mr Harper may still be in the position after the World Cup, but if
the position does become vacant, I certainly will be making an
attempt for it," Butcher told the newspaper.
