Door opens for Windies ‘seven’
Bridgetown: The West Indies Cricket Board opened the door yesterday for captain Brian Lara and six other stars to be considered for the upcoming home series against South Africa and Pakistan. The WICB ruled the seven ineligible a week ago for having endorsement contracts with Cable and Wireless in conflict with the board’s chief sponsor, and telecommunications rival, Digicel.
But the board acknowledged receiving the seven individual contracts on Friday, and was examining them to make sure that they would not cause the players or WICB to be in breach of the US$20 million deal with Digicel. The WICB revealed that the 22 other players invited by the selectors had committed their availability by Friday’s deadline ensuring “the tours to the Caribbean by South Africa and Pakistan will proceed as planned.” They said that the selectors would pick a squad for the First Test, which begins on March 31, by next Thursday and that the players would assemble for a pre-tour camp in Barbados on March 23.
“The board’s primary consideration is what is best for West Indies cricket and its future,” the statement said. “Therefore, in the board’s view, the basis of discussion has to be to field the best team in the circumstances and not the best team at all costs.” Meanwhile, Digicel rejected Caribbean political leaders’ proposals for a solution to the four-month-old dispute.
Digicel said recommendations by the Caricom Prime Ministers Sub-Committee on Cricket, including limiting the players’ connection to cricket in Cable and Wireless advertisements, would not protect Digicel’s multimillion dollar investment in West Indies cricket. “This was conveyed to the committee last Monday, as this will only allow continued ambush marketing by Cable and Wireless of the title sponsorship rights that Digicel have in their contract with the WICB,” Digicel said in a statement late on Friday. Cable and Wireless were reluctant to endorse all of the Sub-Committee’s recommendations, because they threatened to undermine their sponsorship of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.
Well-paid WI players offered TT$1.3m per year.
By Vinode Mamchan.
The West Indies players are among the top money earners in the Caribbean—which is one per cent of those so classified. According to president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Teddy Griffith. The regional cricket boss, in an address to the Caribbean on Friday stated that the players were well paid, despite the fact that the WICB lost an estimated US $14 million up to September.
Last year, the West Indies played 16 Test matches and 27 one day internationals. Using these figures to estimate the earnings for players, the top (Category A) West Indies players would have earned just over US $1.3m if the WICB had its way.
The West Indies Players Association, headed by Dinanath Ramnarine, is demanding US $2.679m.
The category C players, or the lowest earners, are being offered US $813,045 from the WICB. However, the WIPA is calling for US $1,103,266.
Griffith said his association is suggesting that the players signed Match/Tour contracts for the home series against South Africa, which begins at the end of the month.
He said that the Match/Tour Contract used in the VB Tour to Australia should be modified to replace the temporary Clause 5, inserted specifically for that tour, with the new Clause 5, on which substantial agreement had been reached by the two parties.
Griffith added that the prevailing scale of match/tour fees should apply and that the formula for payment for player compensation for commercial obligations undertaken during the term of the contract, be set at 17 percent of the net sponsorship fee received from Digicel.
The president added that both parties are too far away in terms of the financial aspect of the Retainer Contracts, hence the Match/Tour Contract needed to be used for the South African series.
He added that the Board’s current financial situation does not allow it to pay the salaries proposed by the WIPA.
Both parties have been working on the Retainer Contracts for well over a year now. The West Indies remain the only team whose players are not contracted. Here is a breakdown of what the WICB wants to pay and what the WIPA is holding our for.
Category A and Category A+ respectively, based on playing 16 Test matches and 27 ODIs in a year - would produce the following annual compensation.
FEES WICB WIPA
Retainer 79,200 135,000
Test Match $3,600 - 57,600 US$6,000 - 96,000
ODI Match US$1,440 - 38,880 US$5,000- 135,000
Appear 1/16 of US$573,750 - 35,860 1/16 of US$960,000 - 60,000
TOTAL 211,540 426,000
Category C WICB player and a Category C WIPA player
FEES WICB WIPA
Retainer 26,400 35,000
Test Match $2,500 - 40,000 US$3,000-48,000
ODI Match US$1,000- 27,000 US$1,200-32,400
Appearance 1/16 of US$573,750 -35,860 1/16 of US$960,000-60,000
TOTAL 129,260 175,400
Retainer Contract
WICB
Category A - US$79,200
Category B - US$31,680
Category C - US$26,400
WIPA
Category A+ - US$135,000
Category A - US$110,000
Category B - US$ 50,000
Category C - US$ 35,000
Based on the above and assuming a retained squad of 16 players the annual cost of the WICB proposal would be US $712,800 as against US $1,035,000 being proposed by WIPA - a difference of US $322,200 annually, or 45 percent above the WICB offer.
Match Fees
WICB
Category Tests ODIs
A US$3,600 US$1,440
B US$3,000 US$1,200
C US$2,500 US$1,000
WIPA
Category Tests ODIs
A+ US$6,000 US$2,500
A US$5,000 US$2,000
B US$4,000 US$1,500
C US$3,000 US$1,200
Poll