In The Papers Today (Oct 24, 2005)

Back in his home town, West Indies coach Bennett King has been reminded that both the infrastructure and the facilities available to Australian cricket are superior to those in the Caribbean, writes Fazeer Mohammed in a piece published at WindiesCricket.com.

Mohammed refers to an article that appeared in Brisbane paper The Sunday Courier over the weekend, where King criticised the ICC Future Tours program for not facilitating improvement amongst lesser Test nations, including the West Indies. Also in the firing line were the Caribbean facilities, with the coach saying that turf nets and adequately maintained grounds were hard to find.

King feels the West Indies would have a better chance of competing with the likes of Australia and England if there was a level playing field for preparation across the board. Nice play on words Bennett, a level playing field alongside an account of knee-high grass on the grounds in your adopted home!

Last Friday was graduation day at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Development Centre for the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board?s induction class of 2005. Delivering the graduation address was Wayne Riley of the Sports Company of T&T, who represented Sports Minister Roger Boynes.

Writing on the ceremony for the Trinidad Guardian, Naz Yacoob says that Riley praised the unconventional program which included dance, computer literacy and media compatibility, as well as describing cricket as something which "can be deemed as an emancipation from poverty and a true unifier of West Indian people."

Yacoob also covers the West Indies Cricket Board?s Women?s Double Wicket tournament which was played at the National Cricket Centre, Balmain Couva on Sunday.

Taking the title were the Jamaican pair of Stephanie Taylor and Chadeane Nation who beat Guyana in the tournament final and picked up the grand prize of US$250.

The Barbados Nation, the Jamaica Observer and the Guyana Chronicle publish CMC?s report on the West Indies Cricket Board?s dubious credibility record.

WICB President Ken Gordon acknowledged that public perception of the Board is questionable, but asserted that steps are being taken to make the organisation transparent and accountable. Backing up the statement, Gordon said: "This process has started, and I wish I could say when it will end, but I can't at this stage."

Also in the Guyana Chronicle is news that the West Indies were pipped at the post by India for the Hong Kong Sixes title. Coming in second, the Sylvester Joseph-led team picked up US$50,000.

Host nation Hong Kong did not register a single win in the tournament.

In the Kaiteur News, Sean Devers reports on the first round match of Guyana?s Carib Beer inter-county four-day competition, where Demerara whipped Essequibo by an innings and 13 runs.

Despite a maiden century from Essequibo?s Ramesh Narine, Demerara teenager Leon Johnson orchestrated the win, picking up a match haul of 14 wickets for 192 runs.

Round two starts on Thursday when Essequibo meets with defending champions Berbice.

The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation reports that CARICOM heads of government will review plans for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 when they meet in St Lucia on November 4th.

Three representatives in Grenada?s Keith Mitchell, Barbados? Owen Arthur and St Lucia?s Kenny Anthony will also meet with representatives of the WICB and the West Indies Players? Association to communicate recommendations from the last heads of government meeting which took place in July.