'No Shame in Losing Competitively'

Former Aussie skipper Steve Waugh appears to have recovered from the writer?s cramp that set when he authored the mammoth "Out of my comfort zone" tome. Now, he's taken pen to paper again to say that Caribbean class can rule again.

On the eve of the second Test match between West Indies and Australia, Waugh writes in the Daily Telegraph that Windies selectors must pick players who have a real sense of purpose. He puts his money on Chris Gayle as the man to lead the way forward and says there's no shame in losing if you're competitive along the way.

In The Times, Andy Stephens writes that the current contest for the Frank Worrell Trophy speaks volumes about the depressing state of West Indies cricket because it contains only three Tests.

Media Watch thinks even more is said by the venues of those three matches. No Perth, no Melbourne, no Sydney. Hell, they?re lucky Cricket Australia didn?t concoct another scheduling crisis forcing the series to be postponed for the second consecutive year!

Tony Cozier previews the Hobart Test saying that West Indies fans are clutching at straws as they hope for something special enough to force a win in the second match.

Cozier reiterates the need for captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul to be supported by his players, but has no apparent optimism that it will in fact happen.

The Jamaica Observer's cricket news is all about Brian Lara, through the eyes of two Australian bowlers.

Stuart MacGill claims that Lara's 182 at Adelaide in the West Indies 2000/01 tour of Australia almost brought an end to his career. MacGill was crushed by Lara?s barrage of runs, finishing with figures of none for 118 off 24 overs.

Long time nemesis Glenn McGrath says that Lara has changed, moving about the crease in a significantly more nervous manner than the way he used to play. McGrathe is keen to meet the world record holder in the middle, saying it is more of a mental challenge these days.

Both pieces are courtesy of CMC.

Still on the state of affairs Down Under, the Trinidad Guardian re-prints a CMC story where Andy Roberts blows the team unity theory out of the water by declaring that West Indies players must work harder at their individual games in order for the team to be successful.

The assertion is driven home as Roberts says stories of team unity during the Windies reign were a myth. "The West Indies team of the glory days had no team unity at all. Cricket is a team sport but individual game is the key," Roberts explained.

Meanwhile, on the home front, Vinode Mamchan reports that bad weather has served Trinidad & Tobago selectors up a bad headache.

Rain all week has prevented practice matches which would have been used to select the Carib Beer Cup squad and, while a final match is scheduled to run from Thursday to Sunday, the ground is so waterlogged that play appears all but impossible until Saturday.

Ahead of the regional first class competition, Haydn Gill profiles newly named Barbados captain Ryan Hinds in the Barbados Nation.

Gill writes that opinion is divided as to the timing of Hinds' appointment with some calls that it is premature and others saying it is overdue. Hinds himself is ready for the challenge saying: "It's a great honour to be part of a select bunch. Barbados has produced some great and successful captains and I feel honoured to be part of that."

Caribbean Net News sports correspondent Gary Smith reports on Marlon Samuels' new approach to batting.

Displaying newfound maturity in recent times, Samuels says he will now be taking a more patient approach when he goes out to bat. In his interview with DigicelCricket.com, the Jamaican said: "Patience is the most important thing in my game at the moment, which is what I am working on, to be patient and take it one step at a time."

WindiesCricket.com brings some Cricket World Cup 2007 news, carrying a press release which reveals that CEO Chris Dehring and Commercial Manager Stephen Price will be promoting the event this week at London?s World Travel Market, a tourism trade fair.

As well as manning the official CWC booth where they will update visitors on the latest preparation news, the duo will visit the individual stands of all nine host countries to meet with leading representatives in the travel and tourism industry.

Over to magazines now, and the Guardian Sports Arena has republished Ryan Patrick's first Test report card. What?s more, at the end of the article we see: "Courtesy www.caribbeancricket.com."

Thank you Guardian for right thing! May the others follow your fine lead.

Everard Gordon?s contribution is a scathing report on the West Indies performance in their tour match against Victoria. Special mention goes to Tino Best as Gordon writes the West Indies players are not putting out their best and playing on words by following the statement with another, ?Putting out Best?.