The WICB could learn lessons from New Zealand's success

As West Indies continue their embarrassingly inept performances in Australia, as forecast, the clouds of war are building over the administration of the game at home.

The West Indies Cricket Board last week stated that it had presented its position paper to the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) governments over the recommendations of the committee of independent, eminent West Indians on its governance of the game.

Initiated by the CARICOM sub-committee on cricket and headed by leading university administrator Dr Eudine Barriteau, it declared that West Indies cricket was in such a dire state that the WICB should be "immediately dissolved, its members resign" and a differently constituted board eventually chosen.

The WICB said its paper "looks carefully at how both organisations can work together for the benefit of the improvement of cricket on and off the field". They would subsequently meet "for a series of discussions to come to a consensus on what is deemed the very important matter of the governance of West Indies cricket".

The WICB president, Dave Cameron, had already signalled his adamant opposition to the Barriteau dictates. Cameron's vice-president, Emmanuel Nanthan - or, to accord him his full title as listed on the WICB website, Hon Ambassador Emmanuel Nanthan - left no doubt about the resistance the CARICOM governments can expect.