Windies heading for World Cup embarrassment - Rousseau

Former West Indies cricket chief Pat Rousseau has warned that his country could prove an embarrassment at the 2003 World Cup.

Rousseau said the team was in danger of being under-prepared for the tournament -- to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya -- because of inaction by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

The former president, who resigned in June after a power struggle within the WICB, said: "We are 15 months from the World Cup in February 2003."

Quoted by Caribbean news agency CANA, he added: "We are opening the tournament with a match against South Africa. At the present rate, we will be under-prepared and will embarrass ourselves.

"We urgently have to appoint a committee to work with the coach and the selectors to deliver a proposal on how to get the team ready."

Rousseau had suggested before his resignation that the WICB should appoint a committee of former players -- including Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge, Richie Richardson and either Desmond Haynes or Michael Holding -- to plan a strategy for the 2003 World Cup.

"(But) nothing has been done... The names suggested include 20 years of World Cup experience," he said.

Rousseau, a Jamaican lawyer and businessman, and former vice-president Clarvis Joseph resigned when the WICB chose to overturn a decision to sack team manager Ricky Skerritt.

Rousseau appealed to current board president Wes Hall, saying: "We may be a bit late, but we can still be effective."

Mail Cricket Editor