Clause 5 Deadline Extended to Nov 23

The ICC and FICA have asked for -- and received -- more time to finalise the language on a binding recommendation on the contentious Clause 5 of the West Indies match/tour contract.

As previously reported, the two organisations had until November 10 to broker a deal on the Clause 5 stalemate. That deadline has now been extended to November 23.

According to information reaching CaribbeanCricket.com, the two sides have agreed on the framework for a recommendation but needed more time to hammer out the legal language.

At stake is the issue of how a cricketer's private endorsement rights can coexist with the West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) sponsorship deal with Digicel.

In its agreement with Digicel, the WICB has agreed that an "eligible player" must be "clean," meaning the cricketer cannot have a private endorsement contract with a Digicel competitor.

However, because several West Indies cricketers -- including Brian Lara -- were already contracted by Cable & Wireless, the issue led to a standoff that culminated with the WICB and WIPA approaching the ICC and FICA to broker a binding recommendation.