Findings of Bennett King Review C'tee

The WICB committee set up to evaluate the performance of Bennett King's coaching staff says the all-Australian coaching staff should be given more time to deliver results.

The four-man committee -- which included Jackie Hendriks (chairman), Deryck Murray, Desmond Haynes and Enoch Lewis -- said there was "not sufficient evidence to work with" to determine whether the investment in the coaching staff had paid dividends. It, however, recommended that a West Indian understudy to the Head Coach be appointed "to provide for succession planning."

* The obvious commitment of the coaching staff toward moving West Indies cricket forward. The Head Coach and his support team appear to be keen and resolute in their determination to ensure that the West Indies team shows a marked improvement in both the One Day and Test matches, and they realise that their future employment with the WICB depends very largely on an improvement of the team?s performances over the next eighteen months.

* The strides made with regard to fitness of players and technical improvement.

* The personal programmes given to each player to pursue on his own both in terms of fitness and technical aspects of their bowling and/or batting.

* The Head Coach was in complete charge of the West Indies team in accordance with his mandate and the results achieved by the team must be taken as an indication of the effectiveness of his tenure to date. However, off-the-field issues over which the Head Coach had no control have led to a negative view of his performance including the lack of funds available for him to carry out certain of his plans and, too, the very unsettling industrial impasse that has existed before and during recent home and away series.

* The delay in implementing Retainer Contracts for players was also a cause for great concern by the Head Coach in working on achieving the goals and objectives set by the coaching staff.

The report also made the following important findings:

* The need for the structure of West Indies first-class cricket to undergo considerable change so as to maximise its effectiveness.

* The need to adopt and implement the Regional Cricket Development Plan.

* The importance of the reintroduction of a central cricket academy with a vastly improved structure, and the establishment of satellite academies within the Territories making up the West Indies which would greatly enhance the effectiveness of the central academy.

* The need for a process and a system to be put in place to raise the standards throughout the region and new and creative ideas to improve the quality of West Indies first-class cricket, the standard of which is admittedly too low at present.

* The need to appoint a West Indian understudy to the Head Coach to provide for succession planning.

* The need to work closely with the Regional coaches so as to have a consistent and uniform coaching policy throughout the region so that when the players are selected to the international team, they are already aware of the methods and routines that they will be expected to undergo.

* Leadership training was also an area that was considered to be very important and it was pleasing to see the initiative that was taken by the Board with the recent courses that were held in Barbados.

* The Hendriks Committee noted therefore that there was not sufficient evidence to work with in determining whether the investment in the coaching staff had paid dividends and suggested that the coaching staff be given more opportunity before a further evaluation is made.