Kingston, July 12: The West Indies board has announced that the squad for the Champions Trophy will be picked from among those currently playing Bangladesh and others who have made themselves available for selection.
It also decided to interview prospective captains for future series. These decisions indicate there may be no speedy solution to the stalemate between the board and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) regarding player contracts.
Just before the start of the first Test against Bangladesh, the WIPA announced a boycott of the match by the 15-member squad that included captain Chris Gayle and senior players Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The board organised a second-string squad, with nine uncapped players, and the Test went on. It has now referred the strike to its negotiating team for recommendations which will be eventually reviewed board’s executive committee.
After its meeting on Saturday at Grenadine House Hotel in St Vincent, the board issued a release stating its “unswerving commitment and support” to the group of players who were available for the Test and said there would be at least 29 contracted players from which future squads could be picked. But the players have to participate in all regional tournaments in order to be eligible, which the board said would be “done without prejudice”. “Each case will be determined on an individual basis and factors to be taken into consideration by the selectors will be conduct, attitude, performance and overall value.”
The board also agreed to institute a policy of regular meetings with the West Indies team “to ensure better rapport between both parties and to establish a support team for the benefit of the personal development of players and their welfare”.
—–Agencies