ICC and players' body reach agreement

Malcolm Speed believes the disputants "have reached a balanced and pragmatic solution" © Getty Images

The ICC and the Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) have reached an agreement on resolving the dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA).

The dispute, which saw big names like Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, and Ramnaresh Sarwan pulling out of a tour to Sri Lanka, has had serious consequences for both the national team's progress as well as the infrastructure of the West Indies board.

Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, said: "Both sides have reached a balanced and pragmatic solution. The agreement reached between the ICC and FICA provides the WICB with certainty in exploiting its commercial rights and deals with the issues raised by the players."

Tim May, FICA's chief executive, commented that the agreement will lead to a West Indian selection process based on merit. "Both sides have made a number of concessions in order to find a solution and from a player's perspective I think what has been agreed will now ensure the best players are representing West Indies in international cricket."

May also said that WIPA needs the opportunity to brief its members before it would be able to release any details of the agreement. "The West Indies players are currently in Australia and we need to respect the right of the players to receive a full briefing on the agreement that has been reached directly from WIPA."

Speed added: "The issues involved are complex and commercially sensitive. The ICC and FICA have reached agreement only in the last day or so and the documentation is only now being forwarded to both parties.

From the WICB perspective, it will obviously need the opportunity to speak with its members and with its commercial partners before it and its players' association could consider what, if any, details of the agreement should be made public."