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ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC) - The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has declared its commitment to the current "makeshift team" contesting the first Test against Bangladesh at Arnos Vale in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
With the regular team-members staying on the sidelines over a contractual dispute, board members decided at a specially convened meeting in St Vincent Saturday to give "unswerving commitment and support" to the current team while sending a very stern message to the first-choice players they are prepared to proceed without them.
The WICB said in a press release that the West Indies team for the Champions Trophy in South Africa starting in September, will be selected from the current squad participating in the series against Bangladesh and other players who were also available for this series.
The release added that "all those players who indicated that they were available for the match, have also been assured of the board's unswerving commitment and support".
"The board said their continued commitment to this group of players, ensures that there will always be a solid pool of approximately 29 contracted players from which to draw for the board's future tour commitments," the release added.
The perennial squabble between the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) escalated last week, resulting in industrial action by the West Indies first choice players and the selection of a second string side for the opening Test against Bangladesh.
WICB president Julian Hunte insists that his board has been "trying to negotiate with WIPA" without success.
WIPA says one of the issues triggering the industrial action was the fact West Indies players had played four tours without any contracts and they had reached breaking point.
Hunte contends the WICB was willing to offer the players contracts but they had refused them. A meeting between the two parties late last week failed to find any solutions as talks collapsed after just 23 minutes.
Following WIPA's "strike" action, the WICB had taken the decision to refer the matter to the WICB's negotiating team for their consideration and recommendations, which will subsequently be further reviewed by the WICB's Executive Committee.
Another decision taken by the board was that prospective captains of the West Indies cricket team will be interviewed by a committee of the board as part of the appointment process.
The WICB 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.
The WICB stressed in its Saturday night press release that all players must participate in regional tournaments in order to be eligible for selection, which will be done without prejudice.
"Each case will be determined on an individual basis and factors to be taken into consideration by the selectors, stated the WICB release, will be conduct, attitude, performance and overall value."
With the regular team-members staying on the sidelines over a contractual dispute, board members decided at a specially convened meeting in St Vincent Saturday to give "unswerving commitment and support" to the current team while sending a very stern message to the first-choice players they are prepared to proceed without them.
The WICB said in a press release that the West Indies team for the Champions Trophy in South Africa starting in September, will be selected from the current squad participating in the series against Bangladesh and other players who were also available for this series.
The release added that "all those players who indicated that they were available for the match, have also been assured of the board's unswerving commitment and support".
"The board said their continued commitment to this group of players, ensures that there will always be a solid pool of approximately 29 contracted players from which to draw for the board's future tour commitments," the release added.
The perennial squabble between the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) escalated last week, resulting in industrial action by the West Indies first choice players and the selection of a second string side for the opening Test against Bangladesh.
WICB president Julian Hunte insists that his board has been "trying to negotiate with WIPA" without success.
WIPA says one of the issues triggering the industrial action was the fact West Indies players had played four tours without any contracts and they had reached breaking point.
Hunte contends the WICB was willing to offer the players contracts but they had refused them. A meeting between the two parties late last week failed to find any solutions as talks collapsed after just 23 minutes.
Following WIPA's "strike" action, the WICB had taken the decision to refer the matter to the WICB's negotiating team for their consideration and recommendations, which will subsequently be further reviewed by the WICB's Executive Committee.
Another decision taken by the board was that prospective captains of the West Indies cricket team will be interviewed by a committee of the board as part of the appointment process.
The WICB 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.
The WICB stressed in its Saturday night press release that all players must participate in regional tournaments in order to be eligible for selection, which will be done without prejudice.
"Each case will be determined on an individual basis and factors to be taken into consideration by the selectors, stated the WICB release, will be conduct, attitude, performance and overall value."
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