Caribbean Cricket Expert Weighs In On Stand-Off

CaribWorldNews, LONDON, England, Mon. July 20, 2009: West Indies cricket expert and renowned commentator, Tony Cozier, is giving his two cents on the ongoing dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players` Association.

The quarrel has led to the first-choice West Indies players sitting out the current Test series against Bangladesh and WIPA appealing for CARICOM to intervene even as the WICB continues to play hard ball.

`It`s a very complicated situation,` Cozier told the ICC Cricket World audio show. `The board put forward the contracts to the players` association and sent contracts to players.

Cozier, who has been at the heart of cricket in the Caribbean for over 40 years, traces the origins of the stand-off and explains the issues that are separating the two sides.

 `The players said that no, they were not satisfied with a few issues within the contract, not so much with the money, although perhaps that`s one part of it but not the major part. Apparently they are taking about things such as injuries (insurance) and one and two other things like a provident fund and so on,` he said.

`And the Board said `We can`t wait any longer. The contract is there, the money is there for the contract and either you sign it or not.` The players have said `We`re not going to sign it under those circumstances.“

Currently, the WICB selectors are playing a `B-rate` team in the Bangladesh test match in the Caribbean, and they say the current team will also be used later this year for the South Africa match-up.

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