Wed, Oct 8, '14
OCHI, India, CMC – Marlon Samuels stroked a pristine, unbeaten hundred as West Indies temporarily cast aside their bitter wrangle with players union, WIPA, to crush India by 124 runs in the opening One-Day International here Wednesday.
Uncertainty surrounded the staging of the contest at the Nehru Stadium after it emerged Tuesday that the Caribbean side were unwilling to take the field in protest over the terms of the recently signed Collective Bargaining Agreement with the West Indies Cricket Board.
But after shelving strike plans, the Windies showed no signs of disinterest or lethargy as they rattled up an imposing 321 for six off their 50 overs, with Samuels marching his way to an imperious 126 – his sixth ODI hundred
Tue, Oct 7, '14
The following is a copy of a letter ESPNcricinfo has obtained, written on October 7, by West Indies Players Association players representative Dwayne Bravo to WIPA president and chief executive Wavell Hinds.
Tue, Oct 7, '14
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board has been advised that a number of players forming the West Indies One Day International squad currently in India, and scheduled to play five ODIs, commencing with the first ODI tomorrow, Wednesday October 8, have expressed concerns to WIPA on a number of issues relating to the CBA/MOU recently signed by WICB and WIPA.
It has also come to the WICB’s attention that the some of the players could withdraw their services for the first ODI. The WICB deeply regrets this apparent eventuality, especially in light of the tedious and substantial work which went into the good faith negotiations to arrive at the new, historic CBA/MOU.
The WICB apologises to the fans, the BCCI and all other stakeholders should the first ODI be disrupted as a result of player action. The WICB is making every effort to ensure that it fulfills all its commitments and that cricket is played. The WICB further thanks the BCCI, the host board, for their understanding and pleads with fans to exercise calm and patience. The Board trusts that a reasoned approach is taken and that the interest of cricket is served. The Board will make further announcements as may be necessary.
Tue, Oct 7, '14
Kochi: The West Indies cricket team on Tuesday skipped its final pre-match practice session and the press conference that was to follow, creating quite a stir ahead of the first one-day international against India.
Hosts India and the West Indies will commence the five-match ODI series from Wednesday.
Even as the scribes sought to know the reason behind the miss, official sources said "perhaps their team management meeting was still continuing and that should be the reason for their not showing up at the ground".
Tue, Oct 7, '14
India is at No. 1 in the Reliance ICC Team Rankings for One-Day Internationals at the moment with 113 ratings points, while West Indies is down at No. 8 with 96 points.
The visitors will, therefore, be desperate to put that situation right when the two teams face off in a five match ODI series in India, starting with the first game in Kochi on Wednesday (October 8). That aside, of course, both teams will be giving the contests extra attention as it is with these matches that the preparations for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 will kick off. There are just over fifty One Day Internationals left across the world before the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup on February 14, so every match is crucial as the build-up gathers pace.