had failed to produce a resolution to the contract dispute and as a result an independent mediator will be called in to assist.

Gordon was hopeful that via this mediation a resolution will be delivered by October 30, and confirmed that both the WICB and WIPA have agreed that a full strength team will tour Australia.

The paper also has a story about the West Indies Cricket Board running a seminar to educate players on how to spot individuals who are bringing the game into disrepute through corruption! It will take place in Barbados, where all six President?s Cup teams are assembled, on Friday.

Says Chief Cricket Operations Officer Zorol Barthley: ?We (WICB) are trying to educate these players early so when they get to the next level they would have already known the pitfalls. We are just trying to prepare and help them along the way?.

Last but not least, the Express reports that Dave Mohammed has been ruled out of the Trinidad & Tobago President?s Cup squad because of an unspecified injury.

At the close of play on day three of the West Indies practice match Shivnarine Chanderpaul?s team had scored 305-4 in reply to 494 from the Joseph XI. Ramnaresh Sarwan became the second centurion of the match, hitting 141 before giving his wicket to Fidel Edwards.

The abbreviated scorecard appearing in the Trinidad Express has Wavell Hinds batting for both teams. The paper reports that he scored 41 for the Joseph XI and 16 for Chanderpaul?s side. Rain brought an early finish on day three but, weather permitting, the match will conclude on Friday.

In the Guardian, Vinode Mamchan boasts that the Trinidad & Tobago Local Organising Committee (LOC) for World Cup 2007 is the envy of all others because of the outstanding efforts already put in to preparations for the big event.

He writes that the representatives of all 8 other host nations visited Trinidad last weekend, along with Chris Dehring and Don Lockerbie, for a seminar in which the Trinidad & Tobago committee unveiled the business model they are using. Following suit, LOC?s from St Lucia and Guyana have expressed interest in learning more about the model, designed by American events consultancy A.T. Kearney, whilst the ICC World Cup 2007 event management consultants are arranging to have a model designed for them.

Tony Becca recycles old news in his From the Boundary column, looking at the prospective squad for the tour of Australia. He discusses the views presented by both pessimists and optimists in the lead up to the tour, with the former under the impression West Indies have a ghost?s chance in hell of success and the latter believing the team is stronger than its recent record suggests.

The positive outlook from West Indies camp of coach Bennett King and manager Tony Howard is repeated and Becca ends by declaring that win, lose or draw the series could be interesting if the performance is consistent.

The Gleaner also highlights a new playing rule that will come into effect in the 2005 President?s Cup tournament. The regional competition will be adopting the ICC ruling on substitute players, a move endorsed by Brian Breese of the Jamaica Cricket Association.

Barbados? Nation News contains an article saying that whilst agreeing to the intervention of an ICC mediator to resolve the contract impasse, WIPA has requested involvement from the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) as well.

The paper has credited the story as coming from a Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation radio report, but goes on to state that CBC said their information came from unidentified sources.

Following the outcome of the Lucky Report and Rawle Brancker?s recent call for an audit of the Cricket World Cup 2007 committee, Rickey Singh asks the $64,000 question on accountability and transparency in the West Indies Cricket Board: ?Where do we go from here??

According to journalist Tony Best, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Owen Arthur, has publicly endorsed Rawle Brancker?s call for a forensic audit of Cricket World Cup 2007.

Arthur is quoted as saying, ?If a forensic audit would help to bring closure to issues relative to a lack of transparency then I think it may be well to be pursued?.

The paper also reveals that former West Indies greats, including Joel Garner, Vivian Richards, Richie Richardson, Courtney Walsh, Roger Harper, Curtly Ambrose, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, will turn out in Grenada for the ?Virgin Cricket Classics? from October 13 to 18.

Also participating in the event, which includes both a 20/20 and 50-overs-a-side matches, are former England players and 22 journalists. A mini-cricket tournament for Grenadian school students aged from 11 to 13 will feature in the packed itinerary.

Hardbeat News runs a piece entitled ?Dis & Dat ? That Ongoing West Indies Cricket Fiasco?. Written by a team of contributors the op-ed piece states that parties on both sides of the dispute have shown a ?lack of diplomacy and sophistication that exists nowhere else in the world of professional sports?.

Clearly frustrated at the painfully drawn out saga, the article concludes by saying, ?Maybe it?s time too to also bring more women into the management of cricket and send the old boys home to rest?. Media Watch raises its glass to that!

John Pierik of the Melbourne Herald Sun reports that Brian Lara, in Australia to represent the ICC World XI in the Johnnie Walker Super Series, is confident the West Indies will field the strongest possible team on the tour down under. He quotes Lara as saying, ?I am hopeful but we'll just have to wait and see. There is still time?.

West Indies are criticised again in the article, where Pierik points out their lowly position of 8 in the world rankings and says that Lara can at least be assured of not having to carry a brittle batting order when he turns out for the World XI.

In a story on the current mishaps within Indian cricket, Harsha Bhogle of the Indian Express draws a parallel to the state of West Indies cricket.

In criticising the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Bhogle points out that lessons can be learned by looking to the Caribbean, writing, ?And West Indies cricket, once the symbol of pride and excellence, is in total decline. These are lessons Indian cricket either doesn?t want to look at or care about?.

In the Hartford Courant Lori Riley explains the history of cricket to its readers, as the town prepares for the 2005 Hartford Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Saturday, where Andy Roberts will be honoured.

Michael Chambers, a former Jamaica player, is Director of the Hall of Fame which currently resides above a West Indian restaurant but plans are afoot to move it into a cricket museum on track for construction in Hartford.

For a weekend read, the Trinidad Express Sports Magazine has an article by E. McDonald Bailey entitled ?Will the Demons of West Indies Cricket Prevail?? The demons referred to are arrogance and indiscipline amongst players.

Also featuring in the magazine is Colin E. Croft, he of the lengthy, detailed and self-fulfilling diatribe. His latest offering carries the headline ?The Changing Times of West Indies Cricket? and, as usual, is far too convoluted for Media Watch to provide a two paragraph summary. Instead, we?ll let you know it?s there and leave you to take a look if you have a few spare hours.

Sports Arena, the Guardian?s weekly magazine, carries ?WICB response to Lucky Committee - Who Said What? which is a cut and paste of CaribbeanCricket.com?s September 17 ?He Said, She Said?. Down to the Editor?s note. And yet again, no credit is given.

Everard Gordon has written an article on the changes and developments needed in West Indies cricket in order for the goal of winning World Cup 2007 to be achieved. He promotes the idea of employing a psychologist to work with World Cup hopefuls on a daily basis, pointing to the ?Pygmalion in Management? theory by suggesting that the constant criticism the players are subjected to has probably led a number of them to believe they are not good cricketers.

Gordon also looks at the varying logistical aspects of hosting the event, from facilities at the grounds, to clearing immigration and customs at regional airports to finding suitable accommodation to terror threats.