Pay Deal Reached for Windies ?A? Tour
Mon, Jun 13, '05
The upcoming West Indies 'A' team tour to Sri Lanka came close to being cancelled after the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) originally balked at paying match/tour fees to the players.
The one-month tour, scheduled to start on June 19 in the western village of Moratuwa, finally got the green light this week after a pact between the WICB and the players' association set up a three-tiered pay structure for the 'A' team squad.
According to information reaching CaribbeanCricket.com, players will earn between $2,500 and $4,000 for the tour, depending on seniority. Players who have appeared in 10 or more Test matches for the senior side will get a maximum of $4,000 for the tour while others with less Test experience will receive $3,000.
Players with no Test experience and other newcomers will earn $2,500 for the tour. All players will get a $45 a day meal allowance.
The pay deal was reached after intense negotiations that began with the WICB offering not to pay the players, insisting it was a developmental tour that offered no revenues.
On May 24, WICB chief executive Roger Brathwaite approached WIPA to discuss the players' obligations to tour sponsors Digicel but his initial proposal was for the players to get only a US$45 per diem. ?We are proposing not to offer any tour fees," Brathwaite said in a letter to WIPA.
Well-placed sources told CaribbeanCricket.com that WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine notified the WICB that if the players are required to wear Digicel-branded clothing and participate in sponsor-related activities, then the players would have to be paid.
After some delay, Brathwaite came back with an offer of US$1,000 per player for the duration of the tour, a figure that did not meet WIPA's expectations.
According to the players' association, the cricketers in the running for the 'A' team tour can make five times that amount playing weekend-only cricket in the U.S., Canada or England.
"In the past, the 'A' team players did not get match/tour fees but it's a different situation today because there is a sponsor and the players have certain obligations to that sponsor," according to the source.
During the last 'A' team tour to the U.K. and Canada, the cricketers received only a $50 per diem (meal allowance).
ITINERARY:
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DATE |
DETAILS |
MATCH/VENUE |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Thu 16th June 2005 |
Arrival |
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Fri 17th June 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Sat 18th June 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Sun 19th June 2005 |
2 Day Practice Match |
Moratuwa |
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Mon 20th June 2005 |
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Tue 21st June 2005 |
Travel to Dambulla after breakfast |
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Wed 22nd June 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Thu 23rd June 2005 |
First 4 day Match vs SL 'A' |
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Fri 24th June 2005 |
Dambulla |
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Sat 25th June 2005 |
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Sun 26th June 2005 |
Leave to Kandy after the match |
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Mon 27th June 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Tue 28th June 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Wed 29th June 2005 |
Second 4 Day Match SL 'A' |
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Thu 30th June 2005 |
Kandy |
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Fri 01st July 2005 |
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Sat 02nd July 2005 |
Leave to Dambulla after the match |
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Sun 03rd July 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Mon 04th July 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Tue 05th July 2005 |
One Day Practice Match |
Kurunegala |
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Wed 06th July 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Thu 07th July 2005 |
1st One Day vs. SL 'A' |
Dambulla |
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Fri 08th July 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Sat 09th July 2005 |
2nd One Day vs. SL 'A' |
Dambulla |
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Sun 10th July 2005 |
Travel to Colombo after breakfast |
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Mon 11th July 2005 |
Rest & Practice |
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Tue 12th July 2005 |
3rd One Day vs. SL 'A' |
P.Sara |
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Wed 13th July 2005 |
Practice |
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Thu 14th July 2005 |
4th One Day vs. SL 'A' |
RPICS |
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Fri 15th July 2005 |
Practice |
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Sat 16th July 2005 |
5th One Day vs. SL 'A' |
CCC |
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Sun 17th July 2005 |
Departure |
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