Lara re-appointed West Indies captain

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Mar.31, WICB: The directors of the West Indies Cricket Board met in Barbados on Sunday to consider among other things appointments for the posts of coach, manager, captain and vice-captain for the senior West Indies team.

After deliberations, the WICB is pleased to announced the following:

1. TEAM COACH

Bennett King has been appointed the new team coach of the senior West Indies team, subject to completion of contractual negotiations.

In the interim, the WICB have asked Gus Logie to coach the side for the upcoming Cable & Wireless 2003 Cricket Series against Australia and Sri Lanka.

King is currently the Head Coach at the Australian Cricket Board Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy and guided the Queensland Cricket Bulls to three national titles in the Pura Cup four-day competition and two limited-overs finals from.

In the inaugural year of the West Indies' Shell Cricket Academy of the St. George's University in Grenada, he did a four-week coaching stint.

King was also the Australian A-Team coach to South Africa last year and has played a key role in the development of a number of the Queensland players, who are currently members of the senior Australia team.

A nationally accredited Level III coach King has a wide range of coaching knowledge not just in cricket, but as a professional rugby league player.

2. TEAM MANAGER

Ricky Skerritt has been re-appointed the team manager of the senior West Indies team, subject to completion of contractual negotiations.

3. TEAM CAPTAIN

The WICB accepted the recommendation of the Selection Committee that Brian Lara be named the new team captain of the senior West Indies team for the upcoming Cable & Wireless 2003 Cricket Series against Australia and Sri Lanka.

4. TEAM VICE-CAPTAIN

On the advice of the Selection Committee, the WICB has named Ramnaresh Sarwan to the post of the new vice-captain of the senior West Indies team for the upcoming Cable & Wireless 2003 Cricket Series against Australia and Sri Lanka.

Sarwan's performances on and off the field should ensure him a long future in West Indies cricket and this appointment is viewed as developmental with an eye to the future. The WICB feels very confident about this appointment and Sarwan will be exposed to a leadership training to assist him in his new role.

5. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

The WICB agreed to appoint Roger Brathwaite, the Chief Marketing Executive, to the post of Chief Executive Officer.

Brathwaite has been acting as CEO over the last six months and the Board is extremely pleased with his performance particularly in terms of his success in building relationships regionally and internationally. He has already earned the respect of many in the international cricketing arena.

The WICB will be moving to fill the now vacant post of Chief Marketing Executive shortly.