JOIN USWICB acts tough, cancels retainership
The West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) was also quick to react on Thursday and said that the players could not breach contractual obligations because they had not entered into an agreement with the WICB.
Thirteen leading West Indies players, including captain Chris Gayle, have gone on strike and boycotted the first Test against Bangladesh over pending contract issues. The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) struggled to get a second string side that lost the match.
In its first official communication to the players during the impasse, WICB wrote to all the rebel players on Thursday that they have breached the contract by missing the Test and skipping the ticket launch of the 2010 World Twenty20.
WICB’s move to seek explanation from the players comes after WIPA demanded an apology from the board for mismanagement in its affairs.
The board said that the players violated Rule 6 of the WICB Code of Conduct, which states: ‘Players and team officials must not at any time engage in behaviour unbecoming that could bring the game of cricket into disrepute or be harmful to the interests of cricket’.
WIPA also clarified its stand immediately. “They informed the WICB that they were unavailable for the first Test against Bangladesh,” WIPA said in a statement. “These players were under no contract with the WICB that imposed any terms, conditions and obligations with regard to the first Test against Bangladesh and have taken no strike action within this context.”
ICC concerned
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council said it will help broker peace between the WICB and its players because the ICC wants them to field their strongest side in this year’s Champions Trophy.
ICC General Manager Dave Richardson conceded the governing body was worried with the stalemate and said they would soon contact the WICB to offer help.
“The ICC is concerned. We will be contacting them soon and asking them if we could offer any help,” Richardson told a cricket website. “Certainly, if the West Indies (Board) does not sort out their relationship with their players, it is a concern because we need a strong West Indies team coming to the Champions Trophy,” he said.