Board prepares to search for new players

The letter from the A team to the board confirming they were backing the senior side © caribbeancricket.com

The West Indies board (WICB) has rejected the latest offer from the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and, according to a report in the Barbados-based Nation, is preparing to send out invitations to second-string players to tour Sri Lanka next month.

On Friday, Dinanath Ramnarine, president of the WIPA, said that the WICB had rejected its latest offer to have the whole issue of match/tour contracts for the forthcoming trip settled by an arbitrator.

"The WICB has rejected this proposal, but has indicated that it will be sent to its legal counsel," Ramnarine told the paper."WIPA has proposed a further meeting between the parties even at this late stage to find any common ground and negotiated resolution in the interest West Indies cricket."

So far, only three of the 13 players invited to tour Sri Lanka have signed contracts which include the controversial Clause Five, and the Tuesday deadline imposed by the board has long gone. The three are Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Daren Powell and Denesh Ramdin. Sources close to the discussions have indicated to Cricinfo that few if any of the A team already in Sri Lanka would be willing to sign the contracts either, leaving the board to search round the islands for players willing to break ranks with their own association.