WI ‘A’ almost abandoned 2nd ‘Test’
BRIDGETOWN, Barba-dos: West Indies ‘A’ team manager Lyndel Wright has conceded that "good sense prevailed" in preventing his players from abandoning the second unofficial Test against Sri Lanka ‘A’ which they lost inside three days at the height of a contractual row between the regional Board and Players Association. In an exclusive interview on Saturday, Wright said the issue, which has led to West Indies naming a second string side for two Tests and a tri-nation series in Sri Lanka, affected the entire squad. He said he had to appeal to them not to further embarrass the West Indies Cricket Board and the people of the region. Daren Ganga’s side lost by an innings and 16 runs on Friday with a day to spare after winning the first match by 57 runs. Ganga was later reported as saying that ‘A’ team players were pressured into signing contracts to join the senior side, led by Shivnarine Chanderpaul after ten members of the original squad including ace batsman Brian Lara refused to sign match/tour contracts. Wright also disclosed that eight players are to arrive in Sri Lanka on Tuesday to replace the eight ‘A’ team members, who have been drafted into the senior 14-man squad. Speaking from the team’s Taj Samudra hotel in Colombo, Wright praised president and Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Players Association WIPA Dinanath Ramnarine, as well as Ganga, for playing key roles in helping the players to finish the match at the Colts Cricket Ground in Colombo. After the third and final four-day ‘Test", West Indies ‘A’ will play five ‘One-Day Internationals’ before their tour climaxes.
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"WI ‘A’ almost abandoned 2nd ‘Test’"