20 teams likely to play WI annual limited-overs tournament

There are likely to be as many as 20 teams, including Kenya and two English counties, playing in the West Indies' annual limited-overs tournament later this year.

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) cricket committee has approved the plan to double the number of teams in the Red Stripe Bowl and the marketing department is presently seeking increased sponsorship to finance the expansion.

Former WICB marketing director Chris Dehring said yesterday he was preparing a document detailing suggestions of how the tournament should be structured.

Kenya, which is already scheduled to compete in the 2002 Busta Series, is also keen to participate in the expanded limited-overs tournament and two English counties, preferably champions of the two One-Day competitions, will be invited.

The Leeward and Windward Islands are to be split into their component parts so that Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent of the Windwards and Anguilla, Antigua, Nevis, St Kitts and either the combined Virgin Islands or Montserra of the Leewards will compete separately.

They will be added to the Cayman Islands, who were included for the first time last year, Bermuda, Canada and the United States, who are recent entrants, and the WICB founder-members, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

The proposed format, to be completed in three-and-ahalf weeks, provides for four groups of five seeded teams each with the Top 2 from each group, following round-robin play, advancing to the Super Eights along the lines of the Super Sixes of the World Cup.

The Top 4 will then move into the semifinals and the winners to the final.

The ambitious project follows the successful expansion of the Busta Series last season with the addition of the England 'A' and West Indies 'B' teams. It is seen as giving a chance to more players to compete at a higher level.

In the case of the Leeward and Windward Islands, it will be the first time competing at West Indies level, creating a national spirit missing as part of a composite team.