Money needed if cricket is to develop - King

Bennett King, the West Indies coach, has said that cricket authorities in the Caribbean must provide money and assure their commitment to the game, if cricket has to develop in West Indies.

"They are still very passionate about cricket in the West Indies but we just haven't had the money to move forward with some of the other countries in terms of how they have developed," King told AFP.

"Academies have actually been disbanded because of lack of finances. Those academies elsewhere are mostly government-funded," he said referring to the Shell Cricket Academy at St George's University in Grenada that had to be closed down because of lack of funds.

King said that the school structure supported cricket but after the players stepped out, no facilities were available for them to continue working on their game. "For cricket to become a career, you need to have a good set of resources behind them. At the moment, we would still be considered amateur in that phase."

Keith Mitchell, the Prime Minister of Grenada, echoed King's views when he said that cricket was no longer a hobby and that a professional approach was required in administering the game. "The West Indies Cricket Board, the Players' Association, governments and the private sector throughout the region must work together to adopt a transparent, efficient and sustainable approach to the financing of cricket," said Mitchell.

King felt that the venues for the World Cup should be maintained after the tournament ends so that players can train and practice in good facilities. He said that some governments took an interest in sports because it helped boost tourism revenues. "It helps the nation look like a strong nation," he said. "But in the West Indies, well, those are questions that the West Indies governments need to answer."

On West Indies' defeat against Australia in the finals of the DLF Cup, King said that the coach and the support staff can motivate the players as much as possible but it was ultimately up to the players to bring the trophy home.

"I'm like a compass and I try and point them in the right direction but ultimately it is what the players do on the field that matters and how they approach their training."