ST GEORGE’S, April 18: A debt of $15 million is hampering West Indies cricket development, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Ken Gordon has admitted.

The WICB has blamed their cash-strapped state for being unable to launch their long-awaited regional development plan.

“Financially we have had no basis on which to do it. We have just been strapped financially,” Gordon said.

“We are now at a point where we are breaking even operationally but we have a 15 million dollar deficit. That's what we are carrying on our backs. How do you get into development?”

The future of West Indies cricket has been dragged into sharp focus by the team's failure to reach the World Cup semi-finals.

“We we're at the point now where we have had a development programme for the last year. It's drafted, it's ready to go,” said Gordon.

Under the terms of the plan, regional players will hopefully be honed to international standards while coaching standards are expected to rise.—AFP