Trials in trouble

With several players on overseas duties for varying reasons, the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) is considering scrapping trial matches for the forthcoming Red Stripe Bowl.

As many as 17 contenders, all of whom were involved in national trials last season, are either in England on professional contracts, with the West Indies 'A' team, or in Grenada at the Shell Cricket Academy of St George's University.

Acting chairman of selectors David Holford said it would be difficult to find enough quality players to make up two teams for trial matches and a final decision should be announced by the end of the week.

You cannot find realistic prospects to hold trials. When I say realistic prospects, I mean people who really have a fair chance of getting into the side, he told NATIONSPORT yesterday.

You can't find enough of them to hold trial games, so we think the trials might have to be pushed aside.

If that materialises, it is likely the national 14-man team would be selected and then play two warm-up matches in the build-up for the August 14 to September 1 competition.

The selectors have been put in this position because of a decision by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to bring forward the annual Red Stripe Bowl by two months.

The regional limited-overs tournament is usually held in late October, but was adjusted to accommodate the West Indies team's schedule that includes the International Cricket Council's mini World Cup in Sri Lanka in September and subsequent tours of India and Bangladesh.

If the trials are scrapped, Holford, who is also the BCA's first vice-president and chairman of the Cricket Development Committee, said he did not anticipate negative reaction from either players or the public.

It would be unfortunate if we did, he said.

When you look at the names and the people involved those in the academy and the pros our team must come from within those ranks.

It is just unfortunate the way events have turned out and we have to be holding the Red Stripe Bowl in August. Nobody was prepared for that.

The list of Barbadians who are currently overseas includes West Indies 'A' players Ryan Hinds, Sulieman Benn and Tino Best the trio due to return home from tours of England and Canada on August 10.

Six academy students Ryan Austin, Antonio Mayers, Antonio Thomas, Patrick Browne, Fidel Edwards and Alcindo Holder will be in Grenada until August 8.

Another eight players Sherwin Campbell, Floyd Reifer, Dwayne Smith, Callitos Lopez, Jason Bennett, Ryan Layne, Marlon Franklyn, and Pedro DePeiza have professional contracts in England which run until early September.

The BCA is in the process of determining their availability, but it is felt that it might be unreasonable to ask them to break contracts to play trial matches and still not be guaranteed a place.