London, September 04: The West Indies chairman of selectors Clyde Butts, has issued a warning to the leading players on strike – saying that if they don’t make themselves available for the domestic one-day tournament, they would be axed from the tour of Australia that follows.
Butts said he was hopeful of the dispute between the board and players being resolved before the team to Australia is announced, but he warned that another weakened squad – like the one that lost to Bangladesh – could be sent to Australia.
“The board is hoping to resolve this as quickly as possible,” Butts told Cricinfo. “The board has asked the players to make themselves available for a domestic tournament from October 10, and if they do that, then I am confident we will have a strong squad for Australia. There has been a statement released about this.
“If that doesn’t happen, then it depends on how the board views things. I believe there is a rule that players have to play in the domestic tournament preceding a tour to be considered. I am hopeful most, if not all, the players will make themselves available for that tournament and we can proceed as normal.
“Certainly, it would be very difficult for a young team to go to a place like Australia and not have the senior players to rub shoulders with and learn from. I am hoping the impasse will have been resolved by then, but I just don’t know for sure. I am optimistic, however.”
Butts, though, admitted that the current state of affairs cannot go on, as it will benefit neither the players, nor the board nor the game.
“This will probably go on for a little while yet (but) I don’t think West Indies cricket can afford to go down this road much longer,” Butts said. “There isn’t a person in this region who doesn’t want to see their best players represent them, and the hope is that the impasse will soon be over so cricket can again be the winner.
“It is difficult as chairman of selectors when you are unable to pick your best team. There is a concern about (players retiring to play Twenty20 cricket), but from the players I have spoken to that is not on the cards. Most want to play cricket for the West Indies and are looking forward to doing so again at some point in the future.”
—–Agencies