The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
Talented West Indies 'A' team batsman Devon Smith showed that he is back to full fitness with a scorching undefeated century in a practice game for the Grenada national team.
Smith smacked an undefeated 109 in only two hours (20 fours and a six) in a warm up game for the Grenada team against a Grenada ex-national squad over the weekend.
Following the results of the three four-day Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) practice matches, the Jamaica selectors headed by Ruddy Williams should not find it too hard to select their 16-man squad for the regional tournament.
Only two centuries, and seven half centuries have been recorded by batsmen so far in the three matches. This means that both Brenton Parchment (200) and Donovan Pagon (190) looks to be sure picks along with the captain Robert Samuels and Leon Garrick (two half centuries), one of which was unbeaten.
Brian Lara will play in the annual Gerry Gomez Memorial North/South Classic scheduled for Trinidad's Queen's Park Oval this Thursday, according to officials from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
The champion batsman, coming off a debilitating illness, has been cleared by the regional authorities to play in the four-day game, WICB representative Richard De Souza told the Associated Press.
Don't be surprised if there are no 2007 World Cup matches in Guyana.
That's the blunt warning from West Indies World Cup (WIWC) boss Chris Dehring who spent the last week in Guyana reading the riot act to administrators there to either get the venue up to acceptable standards or miss out on international cricket's most prestigious ODI tournament.
For about 13 years or so, up to the arrival of Curtly Ambrose on the scene in 1988, the conveyor belt of quality West Indies quick bowlers ran non-stop. But from then to now, the machine has stalled.
A succession of heirs apparent have come onto the scene. But West Indian cricket fans, increasingly desperate at their team?s lack of success, have witnessed "heir" after "heir" disappear in the considerable shadow of Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.