Lara, left, and Gayle
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada, CMC:
THE SPONSORSHIP row that has engulfed West Indies cricket remained unsettled yesterday, despite fervent attempts by Grenadian Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell to resolve the issue by his self-imposed deadline.
A statement from Dr. Mitchell's office yesterday indicated that no solution had been found to the crisis that threatens to derail the upcoming tour of the Caribbean by South Africa and Pakistan.
"The Prime Ministerial Sub-committee and the other interested parties are working assiduously on finding a solution to the current sponsorship dispute now dominating West Indies cricket but the process will most likely not be completed by today as was hoped," the statement said.
It continued: "It is because the interested parties want to see the matter solved that the parties continue to work towards a solution which will be in the best interest of West Indies cricket."
MAJOR PLAYERS
Dr. Mitchell, chairman of the CARICOM sub-committee on cricket, met with the major players in the dispute in a meeting in St. George's on Monday and indicated afterward that 'considerable progress' had been made. He subsequently set yesterday as a deadline whereby a solution could be found, that would solve the present row involving communications giants Digicel and Cable & Wireless.
Since that meeting, which involved the West Indies Cricket Board, the West Indies Players Association, Digicel and Cable & Wireless, Dr. Mitchell has been working the phones across the region in order to meet the Thursday deadline.
From all reports, Dr. Mitchell has been in touch with his prime ministerial colleagues through the region in an effort to resolve the issue but to no avail.
Last Friday, WICB President Teddy Griffith announced to the region that captain Brian Lara, along with six other players who are all Cable & Wireless contracted players, would not be considered for selection for the South African series.
Additionally, the WICB president indicated that the 22-man squad that was invited last Sunday to be part of a training camp, had a deadline of today by which to sign invitation letters.
It had been hoped that a resolution could have been reached before his deadline approached.
