The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
There is a lot of stumbling and bumbling among the administrators of cricket in Canada and, unsurprising, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has found itself part and parcel of the mess.
And, with a realistic threat of litigation in the air, the regional body must immediately rid itself from any dealings with the Canada Cricket Association (CCA) until it can prove to be a reliable partner.
Jeff Thomas, dumped without explanation as coach of Canada's World Cup-bound cricket team, is suing the Canadian Cricket Association (CCA) for wrongful dismissal.
The CCA offered Thomas severance and included a release form preventing him from taking any legal action against the parent body or its affiliates stemming from his firing on Nov. 30. "As of now, I have not signed any of the documents,'' said the Australian-born Thomas, whose lawyers are due to serve the lawsuit papers this week.
West Indies opener Chris Gayle is leading the CEAT International Cricket Rating with total 80 points, including 63 batting, 14 bowling and three fielding points, as on December 13 last year.
Sanjiv Goenka, Vice-Chairman RPG Group said Gayle was followed by India's Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag with 79 points (70 batting, 0 bowling, 9 fielding) and 58 points (46 batting, 5 bowling, 7 fielding) respectively.
When the fourteen teams clash in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, tactics and strategies will play as significant a role as talent and skill in the tournament's eventual outcome. Knowledge of conditions and information about the opposing players -- their strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes -- will be massaged by the various coaching staff and translated into team strengths.
The West Indies selectors have asked the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to sanction a squad of 20 to participate in the two-week camp in Antigua to prepare for the World Cup in South Africa in February and March.
Sir Viv Richards, chairman of the selection panel, said the aim was to have the five stand-by players for the tournament to be as physically, technically and mentally ready as the final 15 to be named, under International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations, by December 31.