Lara will tour despite dispute

The dispute — involving the team’s telecommunications company sponsors — caused Lara and others to sit out the team’s recent tour of Sri Lanka and miss the first test in the West Indies’ previous series against South Africa.

West Indies Cricket Board president Ken Gordon said on Thursday that the stalemate between the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) would not prevent Lara and other key players from touring Australia.

"The president of WIPA, Dinanath Ramnarine, who has given his fullest support in trying to bring an end to the dispute, can attest to the fact that the best team will be going to Australia," Gordon said.

On Wednesday, Gordon said the International Cricket Council would be asked to arbitrate; the cricket board and players association both agreeing a mediator was needed.

The First Test between Australia and the West Indies is scheduled in Brisbane from November 3-7.

The Second Test begins November 17 in Hobart and the third November 21 in Adelaide.

Lara hopes to be with the Caribbean side in the upcoming Australia tour.

The left-handed batsman, in Melbourne with the World XI one-day side, has not played at international level since June, with he and many other of the West Indies’ best cricketers sitting out the team’s recent tour of Sri Lanka.

The dispute — involving the team’s former and current telecommunications company sponsors — also caused Lara and others to skip the First Test in the West Indies’ previous series against South Africa.

"It’s sad that the West Indies is playing, I’m fully fit, (Ramnaresh) Sarwan is fully fit, Chris Gayle is fully fit and we (were) not out there playing, hopefully that can be sorted out," Lara said yesterday in Melbourne.

"I just want to play cricket really. It’s very important for me and for West Indian cricket that I’m out on the field playing."

Lara and Gayle, who is also part of the world squad, both said yesterday they were unsure about the progress of negotiations aimed at resolving the dispute.

West Indies Players Association president Dinanath Ramnarine is reported to be attempting to broker a resolution with the West Indies Cricket Board.

Lara said he was hopeful the issue would be sorted out. "I think Ramnarine . . . and the board are actually working behind the scenes now to ensure that the best team comes to Australia," Lara said.

"I think they’re trying to put some sort of mechanism in place that if things don’t work out on the table, we’re still going to have the best people playing.

"The war is a telecommunication war ... I don’t really understand everything ... I’m hoping that in the next few weeks, or couple weeks, I’ll be staying on here for the series."