West Indies board launches World Cup committee

Brian Lara has been appointed to the Win World Cup committee by the West Indies Cricket Board to help produce a successful team for the 2007 World Cup. Bennett King, the West Indies coach, is the chairman of the committee, which also includes Gary Sobers, Desmond Haynes, Courtney Walsh, and Michael Findlay, the former West Indies wicketkeeper and former chairman of selectors.

Clive Lloyd, who had originally been invited as chairman, and Michael Holding, declined to join the committee due to overseas commitments. A press release by the board stated the purpose of the committee: "To address the more comprehensive development of players; to develop the physical and mental toughness which will deliver a consistent standard of excellence on and off the field; to deliver in conjunction with Bennett King, a programme of preparation that will deliver the targeted results."

Ken Gordon, the new president of the West Indies board, also announced another committee - a financial one - to be led by Dr Grenville Phillips.

The board also permitted one foreign player to represent domestic teams. The board agreed to the "free movement of players among regional teams" and said that a non-West Indian player could participate in the Carib Beer Series and the President's Cup one-day competitions.

"With respect to the residency requirements, a person is eligible for selection to a West Indies team if he is a citizen or permanent resident of a member country of the WICB and has not been disqualified by the board from representing a West Indies team," said Zorol Barthley, the WICB's chief cricket operations officer. "This opens the way for teams to bolster their weak areas while allowing all our prospective international players an opportunity to be on show. There is the additional feature of utilising the services of at least one non-West Indian player. This could allow the fans to see top players from other countries in action in our domestic tournament. [It] could only make for more competitive cricket and a higher standard of play."