The West Indies Cricket Board Inc. (WICB), expressed surprise yesterday to a letter received from the Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA).

Chief Cricket Operations Officer, Michael Hall, said that the Board was "surprised at LICA's letter and it may be injurious to the tournament and LICA's credibility."

Hall went on to explain that the WICB is on record to further expand the Red Stripe Bowl competition, but "for reasons mainly financial" the Board is not able to implement the full expansion plan.

Hall also confirmed that the Leeward Islands representatives to the WICB advised the Board's general meeting on 21st July that the winner of their one day tournament - Antigua - would be the "individual" team and a "rest" would come from among the other member territories.

The WICB yesterday also confirmed that both the Windward and Leeward Islands were asked to supply two teams - one "individual" team and a "rest" team. The Windwards Islands however, advised the Board meeting that they had not "devised a mechanism by which they could transparently select an individual island". This, in the absence of a one day competition among the islands. The Windward Islands therefore sought, and were granted special dispensation to supply a Windwards North and a Windwards South team for the competition. Hall was quick to add that this would be a "one off" situation and that they were expected to comply fully next year.

Meanwhile, acting LICA president, Carlisle Powell, says that they (LICA) were not involved in the decision - to invite Antigua to compete as a separate entity. He however admitted that "Antigua was good enough to play on their own," but stressed that he was bound by the LICA resolution.

John Maginley, first vice president of the Antigua Cricket Association Inc. (ACA), says that they are continuing with plans to "play on our own as a separate entity, unless we are told otherwise."

The WICB is expected to make a ruling on whether to be bound by their earlier decision to invite Antigua to compete as an individual island, or to abide by this latest LICA resolution. This decision was expected today from the WICB president, Wes Hall and vice president, Val Banks.

Incidentally, Banks was the former LICA president and WICB representative at the time when the discussions about Antigua going solo in the Red Stripe Bowl were ongoing. The other LICA representative leading those discussions was Enoch Lewis.

The Red Stripe Bowl competition is expected to start some time in October and will consist of 10 teams in two (2) zones, one in Guyana and the other in Jamaica. The Windward Islands are the defending Red Stripe Bowl champions.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd