Digicel want Lara on team

KINGSTON: While they have firmly thrown their support behind the recently selected 14-man West Indies squad for the First Test against South Africa, communications giants Digicel said yesterday they had hoped that the best West Indies team would have been eligible for selection for the upcoming Test series. Referring to the seven Cable and Wireless sponsored players who were ruled ineligible for selection to the West Indies team, Digicel termed their absence as “disappointing.” “Digicel had looked forward to West Indies cricket players including Messrs Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Dwayne Smith and Ravi Rampaul to be eligible for selection for the first Test match in the Digicel 2005 Home Series against South Africa which begins in Guyana on March 31st,” a Digicel statement said on Tuesday.

“Mr Lara is a valuable player in the West Indies and worldwide cricket community, and Digicel has consistently made our position clear that he has our support, as do other West Indies Cricket players.  We have stayed optimistic and had hoped that the players would ultimately choose to support the game.  Their decision is disappointing to all who love the sport.” Lara had been originally considered ineligible for selection but was given the green light to play after the West Indies Cricket Board eventually ruled last week that only he, of those who held personal endorsement contracts with Cable and Wireless, was eligible because his contract was deemed as “pre-existing.”

Digicel, who signed a US $20 million dollar sponsorship deal with the WICB last year, said they would continue to throw their support behind West Indies cricket. “As sponsors of the team, Digicel has always been and remains focused on providing the necessary resources to help grow West Indies cricket to its true potential so players and fans can enjoy its benefits,” the release said. “We have deep respect for the sport of cricket and its social and cultural history in the Carib-bean.” They added: “The WICB have taken responsibility to create a team structure that preserves the integrity of the game and provides value to the organisations and fans that are supporting West Indies cricket.” “Digicel are fully committed to the selected team from captain Mr Shivnarine Chanderpaul to the players and coaching staff, as they prepare for the first Test match in the Digicel 2005 Home Series.” (CMC)