Cuba invited for eight-match Caribbean tour

Cuba have been invited to visit St Vincent and the Grenadines for a series of matches in May in what St Vincent's prime minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves described as a historic visit.

Gonsalves made clear his disappointment that the Cuban team, coached b Vincentian Dennis Byum, was unable to take part in the Stanford 20/20 as a result of a block being placed on them by the USA.

"They may not be able to play in the 20/20 competition but no one can stop a sovereign nation from exercising its independence to invite any team from Cuba to come and play cricket," Gonsalves said. "It is profoundly an exercise of our sovereignty and independence."

Byum said that Cuba would be competitive in what is planned to be an eight-match tour involving games against premier division teams, culminating in a match against the national side.