Cricket changes anger fans

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has announced nothing. but two regional supporters' groups have advised members that the published itinerary for the triangular series of One-Day Internationals between the West Indies, Pakistan and Zimbabwe in April has been changed.

Acting on tip-offs from within the WICB, the Mound Massive from Jamaica and the Trini Posse from Trinidad have altered travel plans to fit into a week-long break during the tournament.

Mound Massive members were told of the alterations on Sunday, prompting a charge of favouritism, from Majorie Morris, organiser of the well-established Calypso Cricket Tours out of Jamaica.

'I also have a tour but, as I'm not privileged to this information, I can't make the necessary changes,' she said.

Morris claimed that the other groups had been informed from within the marketing department of the WICB.

This was confirmed yesterday by Dr. Nigel Camacho, of the Trini Posse.

'Making changes at this late stage throws us and other groups like ours into a spin,' Morris said.

'What happens to people who have made arrangements to take time off for matches on the advertised dates?'

'This is pattie shop business,' she added.

Calypso Cricket Tours have organised supporters' groups to every West Indies' series, home and abroad, since 1997.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has pressed the WICB and the other relevant boards to agree to a revision of the schedule to allow chosen players to be available for a day/night feature match between Asia and the Rest of the World in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 8.

WICB chief executive Stephen Camacho said yesterday the matter was still being discussed and no final decision had been made.

According to the new, reported itinerary, the triangular series that starts April 1 would break April 5-11 and resume April 12.

Subsequent matches would be West Indies v Pakistan at Arnos Vale, April 12, Zimbabwe v Pakistan and Pakistan v West Indies at Queen's Park, Grenada, April 15 and 16 and the first final at Kensington Oval April 19, and the second and third at the Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad, April 22 and 23.