T&T chief hints at regional split

The future of West Indies cricket continues to remain uncertain after Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) chief executive Forbes Persaud indicated the national team could go its own way in international cricket. In an interview to the Trinidad & Tobago Express, Persaud said leading figures in the country's cricket body were considering breaking away from the West Indies regional team.

"My personal view [is] if the trend continues with the manner in which West Indies cricket is being administered, the board (TTCB) should go on its own and compete as Trinidad and Tobago, just as is in football," Persaud said. "If something is not done to have cricket administration at the West Indies level properly restructured, I believe we will have no choice but to think about playing as an individual territory on the international scene."

As the impasse between the WICB and WIPA rumbles into its third week, Persaud's comments shed light on the disaffection gripping the region. He confirmed that while no formal discussions had been held on the topic, others shared his view. "There are some board members who believe that we should start thinking about going on our own but, this has not been discussed in any official forum. It's just people expressing their views informally," said Persaud. "Because of the present situation in West Indies cricket, people are becoming very disenchanted and they have been expressing their views along these lines."

The process, according to Persaud, would be drawn out and carries many implications. "It would have to go through the ICC and we must bear in mind the repercussions it is going to have and the impact it would have on the West Indian community since we know how passionate the Caribbean people are about cricket," he said. "We all know how critical West Indies cricket is as a unifying force, to go that way would be destroying a legacy. It is not going to be an easy decision to make, if at all there is going to be a formal discussion on this."

At the weekend Dwayne Bravo hit out at the WICB's unprofessionalism, saying his local club was better organised.