West Indies B cricket team

Not to be confused with West Indies A cricket team.

West Indies B was a first-class cricket team that participated in the West Indian domestic competition from the 2000–01 season to the 2003–04 season. It was selected by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) from players who had been unable to secure a contract with one of the six existing regional teams, and was restricted to players under the age of 23 (with a few exceptions). West Indies B had little on-field success during its time in the competition (although a number of future internationals spent time in its squad), and the team was disbanded prior to the 2004–05 season after a wider reorganisation of domestic cricket in the region.

History

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) introduced the West Indies B team for the 2000–01 Busta Cup. Mike Findlay, the WICB's chairman of selectors, said that the team was introduced to give "young players the incentive to go on playing", as a number of young players were quitting cricket after under-19 level because they could not secure a contract with one of the regional teams.[1] Selection for West Indies B was restricted to players under the age of 23, but for the first two seasons the team was captained by an experienced older player (Richie Richardson in 2000–01 and Roland Holder in 2001–02).[2][3]

West Indies B played a total of 28 matches across four seasons, winning just four matches during that time.[4] In the 2000–01 Busta Cup, the team placed seventh out of eight teams, winning only against the Windward Islands (by 162 runs).[5] West Indies B finished eighth the following season, again winning only once (defeating Bangladesh A by 59 runs).[6] The team was winless in the 2002–03 Carib Beer Cup,[7] but in the 2003–04 Carib Beer Cup won two matches to finish sixth overall.[8] It had a higher turnover of players during its four seasons, with only nine players playing more than one season with the team.[9]

In a reorganisation of West Indian cricket prior to the 2004–05 season, it was decided to disband West Indies B and return to the old format of six regional teams, which had last been used during the 1995–96 season. The extended competitions were said to have "burdened a financially insecure organisation with heavy running costs", while also diluting the standard of play.[10]

List of players

Players in bold played international cricket for the West Indies, either before or after playing for West Indies B. Players marked with an asterisk (*) played their only first-class cricket for West Indies B.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Windies ‘;B' Team For Under-23s", ESPNcricinfo, 20 November 2000. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "WI local: Richie to lead WI 'B'", ESPNcricinfo, 23 December 2000. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "Holder To Lead Windies 'B'", ESPNcricinfo, 17 January 2002. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  4. ↑ First-class matches played by West Indies B, CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  5. ↑ Busta Cup 2000/01 table, CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  6. ↑ Busta Cup 2001/02 table, CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  7. ↑ Carib Beer Cup 2002/03 table, CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Carib Beer Cup 2003/04 table, CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  9. 1 2 Players who played for West Indies B, CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  10. ↑ "An agonising period", Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, 2005. Retrieved from ESPNcricinfo, 19 November 2016.
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