There are reports that the strongest cricket playing nations/territories in the Caribbean outside the jurisdiction of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control will compete in a tournament sometime in August.

According to information given to 'Beyond The Test World', plans are being considered for a four nation tournament involving the Bahamas, Belize, the Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos Islands.

The proposed tournament was originally to be held in the Bahamas, but those plans changed and the venue and date of the tournament are unknown at this stage.

The Cayman Islands would go into such a tournament as raging-hot favourite, having defeated Assocaite member, Argentina, in last year's Americas Cup. It would not surprise if Caymans is asked to send a developmental squad. For what it's worth though, BTTW hopes the Caymans sends a full-strength team, for the sake of establishing the credibility of the tournament, even if that means the odd one-sided result.

The tournament, if held, would have three obvious benefits:

• The countries have a means of gauging the relative standard of cricket in their countries
• The national teams are given a form guide before future World Cup qualifiers/World League matches (should the latter eventuate)
• Importantly, provides another stage in trhe 'formalisation' process of cricket in the Caribbean Rim and breaks the respective countries' sense of isolation

If BTTW is still around, it will provide news on the build up and aftermath to the tournament.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd