WIPA hits out at poor T&T practice facilities

The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) has come in for criticism from the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) over the state of practice facilities extended to visiting teams during the ongoing West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-Day Tournament.

WIPA issued a media release citing complaints from Jamaica, Windward Islands and Combined Campuses and Colleges - the teams T&T have hosted so far for the 2009 season - on "woefully unprepared and inadequate" practice venues.

"This is simply not acceptable," WIPA declared in the letter from president and chief executive Dinanath Ramnarine. The correspondence added: "It is the view of WIPA, and I am sure the WICB and territorial boards share it, that there can be no compromise in having proper practice facilities for the preparation of teams prior [to] and during matches.

"The WICB, the territorial boards and WIPA have a mutual interest in developing players to international standards."

According to WIPA, one team even had to "make private arrangements with local clubs 'to get in some practice'." WIPA said standards should be in keeping with the Memorandum of Understanding and the Minimum Standard Document signed with the WICB.

The players' union also put the responsibility for "inadequate facilities" squarely on the shoulder of the regional board. "While the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, like other territorial boards, is responsible for making the necessary arrangements for which they are funded by the WICB, the latter is equally responsible for ensuring that the TTCB, in this case, carries out the mandate of the WICB."

The release also pointed out that the issue had been raised during T&T's opening home game against Jamaica, but no suitable solution has since been forthcoming. "Subsequent events have shown that nothing to date has been done with respect to WIPA's complaint and request. The visiting Windward Islands and Combined Campuses and Colleges regrettably suffered similar treatment."

When contacted on the issue yesterday, Forbes Persaud, the chief executive of T&TCB, promised to address the issue at the board's press conference at the Queen's Park Oval on Wednesday.