Brian Lara, one of seven players out of contention for places in the Windies team

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC:

IN ANOTHER attempt to hasten the return of the seven Cable & Wireless-sponsored players, the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) says it has been successful in getting these players to waive the confidentiality clauses in their contracts so that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) can begin its scrutiny of these documents.

The WICB had indicated after its weekend meeting that the seven players, including West Indies captain Brian Lara, would remain outside of consideration for selection for the upcoming tours until its legal team had inspected their contracts.

This, according to a WICB statement, would begin "once the Board has received in writing a waiver from each of the affected players so that the Board is not involuntarily in breach of any confidentiality clauses in those contracts."

VOICING ITS DISAPPOINTMENT

While voicing its disappointment over this move by the Board in a release yesterday, WIPA said that in the interests of "furthering a resolution", it has "procured the agreement of the seven players with Cable & Wireless contracts, to waive the relevant confidentiality clauses."

The statement, signed by controversial WIPA President and Chief Executive Officer, Dinanath Ramnarine, said this course of action would meet the WICB's newest requirements.

"WIPA has communicated this to the Prime Ministerial Sub-committee and in the event that the Board attempts to impose new conditions, WIPA has communicated further the players' assurance that they will not, under their individual sponsorship contract, perform any obligation as a member of the West Indies team," the release stated.

WIPA, which has been at loggerheads with the WICB over several players' issues, criticised the Board over the move to request waivers from individual players, terming it an 'additional stipulation.'

"WIPA has further noted that the WICB now imposes an additional stipulation, namely that players must waive the confidentiality clauses in their individual personal contracts to permit scrutiny of these contracts," the statement said.

"WIPA is disappointed at the Board's response and recalls that, following the adjudication by Justice Saunders, it was clearly established that players have the right to engage in personal contracts."

Lara, along with top batsmen Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle, remain out of contention for places in the Windies team, after the intervention by CARICOM's Prime Ministerial Sub-committee on cricket, failed to find a solution to the present sponsorship row between Cable & Wireless and Digicel.