WICB: C&W Players Still Ineligible
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is sticking to its guns, announcing Saturday that seven leading cricketers including Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle will not be considered for selection until their private contracts with Cable & Wireless are properly inspected.
In the face of increasing pressure from Caricom to select the team on cricketing merit only, the WICB refused to back down. "In the Board's view, the basis of discussion has to be to field the best team in the circumstances and not the best team at all costs," the WICB said in a statement.
The WICB did not say when the legal perusal of the contracts would be completed.
EXCERPT OF THE WICB STATEMENT:
The Board has noted various comments and recommendations made on behalf of the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Cricket issued in a statement by the Chairman of that sub-Committee on the evening of March 11, 2005. The Board also noted public statements issued by parties involved. From these statements, it is the understanding of the Board that the recommendations outlined in the Prime Minister's statement have not been agreed to by all of the parties.
The Board wishes to thank the Prime Ministerial sub-Committee on Cricket for its interest in West Indies Cricket and wishes to assure the Prime Ministers that its comments and recommendations will receive due consideration while it continues to work with the West Indies Players' Association to resolve several outstanding issues. In this regard, the Board looks forward to meeting with the Prime Ministerial sub-Committee so that it can fully understand the intent of the Committee's various recommendations and determine the potential impact on the Board.
Conscious, however, of the Board's constitutional obligations as have been established in the Memorandum of Association and Articles of the West Indies Cricket Board Inc. and the responsibilities of the Directors to manage the business and affairs of the Board, the Directors, at their meeting of Saturday 12th March 2005 have made the following decisions:
1. Based on commitments received from all 22 players invited to make themselves available for selection for the Digicel 2005 Home Series, the tours to the Caribbean by South Africa and Pakistan will proceed as planned.
2. The Selectors will be instructed to name the squad for the first Test Match on Thursday 17 March and those selected will assemble for the pre-tour camp scheduled to commence on Wednesday 23 March.
3. The Board will, through its attorneys-at-law, commence inspection of certain contracts pertaining to Cable and Wireless contracted players which were provided late on Friday 11 March by Cable and Wireless to the Board's counsel once the Board has received in writing a waiver from each of the affected players so that the Board is not involuntarily in breach of any confidentiality clauses in those contracts. The purpose of the Board's inspection of the contracts is to ensure that the contracts do not impose on the players any obligations, which could cause them or the WICB to be in breach of the sponsorship contract, which has been executed between the WICB and Digicel.
4. While the above examination is in process, the players who hold personal endorsement contracts with Cable and Wireless - Messrs. Bravo, Edwards, Gayle, Lara, Rampaul, Sarwan and Dwayne Smith - will not be considered for selection to the West Indies Team until the Board satisfies itself as to the nature of those contracts.
The Board repeats its assurance to the people of the West Indies that it is committed to develop West Indies cricket for the benefit of the fans and all players throughout the region.
The Board's primary consideration is what is best for West Indies cricket and its future. This is the critical base from which all else moves.
Therefore, in the Board's view, the basis of discussion has to be to field the best team in the circumstances and not the best team at all costs. Teams selected by the West Indies Cricket Board must assist West Indies Cricket on its future path.