T&T board opposes WICB decision over venues

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (T&TCB) president Azim Bassarath said that he was opposed to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) decision to play regional first-class matches at only international venues.

The WICB released the dates for the tournament last month and indicated that it had adopted a policy to play all matches at the 10 recognised international venues in the region, with the Three Ws Oval in Barbados added to the list to accommodate home matches for the Combined Campuses & Colleges.

Speaking at the T&TCB's Christmas luncheon with the media, Bassarath said the national governing body was opposed to the policy.

"According to the memorandum of understanding between the WICB and the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA), the WICB has indicated that WIPA have to agree with all match venues," he said.

"In an effort to prevent any hiccups, they have decided that matches will only be played at (international) venues."

He added: "We at the T&TCB have an issue with this because we believe in spreading the games throughout the country.

"We will enter into discussions with the WICB to have at least one of these matches played at another venue."

T&T have been allocated three home matches for the first-class season and the WICB has mandated that all three matches take place at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain - the twin-island republic's lone international venue.

T&T face Windward Islands from February 24 to 27, Jamaica from March 9 to 12, and Guyana from March 16 to 19.

In the past, the T&TCB has carded matches for the Queen's Park Oval (North Trinidad), University of the West Indies Sports & Physical Education Centre (East Trinidad), National Cricket Centre (Central Trinidad), Shaw Park (Tobago), and Guaracara Park (South Trinidad).