Shillingford PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CANA:
GREGORY Shillingford, chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board, and management consultant Teddy Griffith began a series of presentations of the WICB's strategic plans to its territorial members.
Shillingford and Griffith presented the WICB's plans to the executive and other representatives of the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board at its headquarters at Balmain Village.
Shillingford in addressing the 40-odd members present said its plans will be pursued in promoting, developing and organising West Indies' cricket.
Griffith told about the possible expansion of the regional cricket competitions to include 16 to 20 teams, hinting that the islands of the Leewards and Windwards may play separately.
He also said the Young West Indies team would embark on more tours in the future and representation will be made for the squad to play a series of matches in England in the not-too-distant future.
Griffith said there were several key areas of concern to the WICB, among them coaching, women's cricket umpiring, youth development and strengthening of the territorial boards.
The idea of more matches for the regional youth teams was brought up and a major concern of Griffith was the loss of players between the 15-19 age-groups. Griffith noted the WICB was looking closely at this situation.
Concerns were raised by the TTCB about the organisation that will run the 2007 World Cup to be hosted in the Caribbean by the WICB.
It was, however, revealed the WICB will be acting as agents of the International Cricket Council, which owns the World Cup.
"The ICC is the major player in organising and running of the competition and the WICB will be learning from its strength and weakness from previous World Cups," said TTCB first vice-president Ellis Lewis, who chaired the meeting.
It was suggested during the discussions the inclusion of secondary schools cricket in its curriculum.
Similar meetings have been organised by the WICB for other territorial members.
