POWELL... hunts place in Trinidad and Tobago's Carib Beer squad

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Ricardo Powell, the hard-hitting Jamaica and West Indies middle-order batsman, was yesterday given the all-clear by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the upcoming Carib Beer Regional Cricket Series.

The 25-year-old Powell, now based in Trinidad, had written earlier this week to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) stating his desire to represent T&T in next month's regional tournament.

A letter was then forwarded by the TTCB to the WICB seeking guidance and clarification.

Yesterday, an official of the TTCB said that correspondence was received from the WICB, granting permission for Powell to play for T&T in the Carib Beer Series, which bowls off on January 9-12 with four matches in the region.

Powell is married to a Trinidadian and has a business venture in the twin-island republic. He says his move to play for T&T is logical.

"It's a bit difficult to travel back and forth to Jamaica to play cricket," Powell said.

"I need to have time to be with my family and to run a business, so in those circumstances I decided that playing for Trinidad, I would be better off because I am here," Powell said.

Meanwhile, Omar Khan, manager of the T&T team, said yesterday Powell does not guarantee himself an automatic spot on the Trinidad and Tobago team.

Khan said he is very happy to have Powell around and with his wealth of experience in international and regional cricket, it will be a tremendous boost to the younger players on the squad.

"But at the end of the day, Powell will still have to prove his worth to guarantee himself a place on the team. And the four-day trial match, which starts tomorrow and the North/South Cricket Classic in early January will be the ideal opportunity for him to do so," Khan said.

Yesterday, Jamaican coach, Robert Haynes, was among those expressing total understanding for Powell's move and wishing him "all the best", even while expressing surprise that he heard the news "on the radio" and not "from the board or Ricardo himself".

Said Haynes: "I know when he came here for the Red Stripe Bowl (in October) it cost him a lot. It was rather expensive for him and very difficulty with his wife being pregnant in Trinidad ... I think it is difficult for him to travel to Jamaica when he has had to pay his own way and he also has business in Trinidad as well.

"I think for Ricardo to decide to play for Trinidad must have taken him a while but I'm happy that he has decided in good time before the start of the season. I wish him the best and his family all the success they can get in life".

While nationals from other Caribbean countries have represented Jamaica, including the legendary Barbadian, Sir Frank Worrell -- who actually led Jamaica in the early 1960s against India and the visiting Cavaliers -- as well as current WICB president, Teddy Griffith, knowledgable cricket watchers yesterday could not recall a Jamaican playing first-class cricket for another Caribbean territory.

Powell's move follows recent suggestions, notably from former West Indies allrounder, Barbadian David Holford, that Caribbean cricketers should be free to move from their home country to play for other territories in the region.

Powell will line up in Shazam Babwah's team to oppose an outfit led by talented batsman, Imran Jan, on today's opening day of the second trial match to select the T&T team to take on Leeward Islands in the opening round of the regional tournament from January 9-12 at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.

Trial teams:

Jan's XI -- Imran Jan (captain), Aneil Kanhai, Satish Naidoo, Dwayne Bravo, Kenton Thompson, Reyad Emrith, Samuel Felix, Avidesh Samaroo, Rodney Sooklal, Theodore Modeste, Kieron Lynch, Avalon Cuffie.

Babwah XI -- Shazam Babwah (captain), Sherwin Ganga, Imran Khan, Earnil Ryan, Gregory Mahabir, Ricardo Powell, Gibran Mohammed, Ricardo Paty, Davindra Krishna, Amit Jaggernauth, Marlon Black, Brent Harriot.

Feeding the multitude

DANGEROUS PETS

Pepper Pot