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Too late to change Windies squad - WICB director
CMC
Saturday, September 19, 2009
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) - Long-serving West Indies Cricket Board director Chetram Singh says it is too late to have the regional team in South Africa replaced, but has remained hopeful the elite players will be available for the tour of Australia in November.
Singh was responding to media reports that the International Cricket Council has been pressuring the WICB to reinstate its best players for the Champions Trophy which bowls off next Tuesday.
A report on leading cricket website Cricinfo indicated that the world governing body appeared willing to accept a "revised" line-up if the industrial relations dispute between the WICB and the players was resolved.
"I don't think that is possible at this late time," said Singh, also the perennial Guyana Cricket Board president.
"The players are already there and have been training and working hard and a team cannot be changed at the last minute just like that."
He added that the players in South Africa had already signed contracts and reminded that if replacement players are selected at this time they would also have to sign contracts.
Singh was speaking after returning from a WICB meeting in Barbados on Tuesday, where the matter was discussed.
The ongoing contracts dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players Association has crippled the regional team, leaving it without its elite players.
It means West Indies will contest the Champions Trophy with a depleted squad, devoid of the likes of Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Following failed mediation talks held by Sir Shridath Ramphal last month, Caricom intervened last week, rolling out a six-point plan aimed at ending the dispute and Singh said he believed the latest move could be fruitful.
He pointed out that while the WICB had the mandate to run regional cricket, it was always good to listen to ideas from various stakeholders and noted that Caricom's recommendations should be examined
CMC
Saturday, September 19, 2009
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) - Long-serving West Indies Cricket Board director Chetram Singh says it is too late to have the regional team in South Africa replaced, but has remained hopeful the elite players will be available for the tour of Australia in November.
Singh was responding to media reports that the International Cricket Council has been pressuring the WICB to reinstate its best players for the Champions Trophy which bowls off next Tuesday.
A report on leading cricket website Cricinfo indicated that the world governing body appeared willing to accept a "revised" line-up if the industrial relations dispute between the WICB and the players was resolved.
"I don't think that is possible at this late time," said Singh, also the perennial Guyana Cricket Board president.
"The players are already there and have been training and working hard and a team cannot be changed at the last minute just like that."
He added that the players in South Africa had already signed contracts and reminded that if replacement players are selected at this time they would also have to sign contracts.
Singh was speaking after returning from a WICB meeting in Barbados on Tuesday, where the matter was discussed.
The ongoing contracts dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players Association has crippled the regional team, leaving it without its elite players.
It means West Indies will contest the Champions Trophy with a depleted squad, devoid of the likes of Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Following failed mediation talks held by Sir Shridath Ramphal last month, Caricom intervened last week, rolling out a six-point plan aimed at ending the dispute and Singh said he believed the latest move could be fruitful.
He pointed out that while the WICB had the mandate to run regional cricket, it was always good to listen to ideas from various stakeholders and noted that Caricom's recommendations should be examined
My question is - Is this West Indies Cricket Board director Chetram Singh saying the WICB was actively pursuing changing course during this present tour? 
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