WICB States Its Case Over Contracts Row

WICB States Its Case Over Contracts Row

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has issued a statement outlining its position as the contracts row that has seen its contracted player go on strike continues.

The board has informed each of the striking players that they are in breach of Rule 6 of their 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.”

Each player has been given ten days to submit a response to the board and the statement continued:

"Breaches alleged by the Board are as follows and have been cited where relevant to a player’s participation in the strike action:

"(i)                 On July 4, 2009 failure to attend the Official Ticket Launch of ICC WT20 2010 at the Beausejour Indoor Facility in St. Lucia;

"(ii)               On July 7, 2009 refusal to travel to St. Vincent from St. Lucia for the 1st Test Match between the West Indies and Bangladesh on July 9, 2009;

"(iii)              Refusal to make yourself available to represent the West Indies team as per your selection, for the 1st Test Match between the West Indies and Bangladesh on July 9, 2009.

"Additionally, those players on retainer have been informed that their action breached that contract and therefore those payments have been “suspended immediately…until such time as you indicate in writing to the WICB your resumption of obligations under the contract.”

"Today’s correspondence is the first occasion on which WICB has communicated formally with players on this matter. The Board has also written to WIPA asserting that the strike action breaches the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the two entities, and has requested that the ongoing dispute be referred to immediate mediation.

"Meanwhile, payments are currently in progress to all players who represented the West Indies in the recent tour to England; the ICC WT20 2009; and the four One-Day Internationals versus India.

The West Indies are set to take on Bangladesh, once again with an under-strength squad, in the second Test at Grenada from today (17th July).

© Cricket World 2009

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