Last call to include C&W seven

WITH JUST one day before the start of the opening Test match against South Africa, the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) have restated their case for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to reinstate the seven players with Cable and Wireless contracts. WIPA repeated their call in a statement issued to Roger Brathwaite, chief executive of the WICB. This comes on the  eve of the Bourda Test match in which Shivnarine Chanderpaul  has replaced Brian Lara as West Indies skipper.

According to media reports, Ramnarine noted that there was nothing standing in the way of the board considering for selection the seven players with Cable and Wireless contracts and  once again called on the WICB “to so consider these players.” Efforts yesterday to reach Ramnarine were unsuccessful. The WICB ruled ineligible  seven of the leading West Indies players —  Lara, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Fidel Edwards, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith  and Ravi Rampaul. All seven were originally deemed ineligible because their endorsement contracts with Cable and  Wireless conflicted with the WICB’s official sponsor and rival telecommunications company Digicel.

Lara was later invited back but refused to sign up unless the others were also allowed to return. WIPA claimed that the individual contracts, which had also been inspected by their own attorneys, should not bar the players from  being selected. Meanwhile, the West Indies players were expected to conclude their camp at the 3Ws Oval yesterday before flying out to Guyana. Manager Tony Howard said the new-look team with three rookies was geared up and ready to face the Proteas. “We are trying to build a unit of players who will work together. All the boys are geared up and ready to face the challenge,” he said. “I always look forward to a challenge and the players will be approaching the challenge with confidence. Some factors are missing but we are looking at  things in the long term.”