BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

The West Indies Cricket Board on Saturday announced plans to expand the regional first-class season in an effort to boost the performances of the West Indies team.

Dr Donald Peters, the WICB's chief executive, said the season would be extended to 14 weeks from the 2008/09 season as the board moved to address the paucity of cricket played in the region and which had been identified as one of the main reasons behind the West Indies' poor international form.

"One of the things the head coach (John Dyson) identified as a problem was that our players in the Caribbean do not play the same amount of first-class cricket as players in other full member countries," Dr Peters said.

Expand season

"Most ICC (International Cricket Council) full member countries play a minimum of 10 first-class matches in a season. We have therefore decided to expand the first-class season to 14 weeks.

"Players will have a chance to play more cricket and this will give them the opportunity to work harder at their game and seek to improve the quality of cricket."

At current, the regional first-class season comprises the four-day and the limited-over formats but combined, they yield less then 10 matches per season.

Last year's KFC Cup limited- over tournament lasted just two weeks and saw teams playing a maximum of three preliminary round matches. The four-day, Carib Beer Series comprised seven teams with each team playing six matches.

Dr Peters said they believed extending the season would result in several positive spin-offs.

"Cricket will be played throughout a six-month period. It is evident by our recent performances that our players need to learn to bat for longer periods and make the right decisions at all times when they are on the field," Dr Peters pointed out.

"Obviously to reach that standard, we have to play more cricket if we are serious about being truly competitive at the international level again.

"West Indies cricket, at this point in our development, needs all territorial boards and corporate sponsors to take an active part in the development of West Indies cricket. All the stakeholders need to be involved in West Indies cricket if the game is to move forward."