Windies test squad named. Sort of ...

Times Media

TELFORD VICE, Cape Town

THE good news is the West Indian selectors have named a squad for their team’s test series in SA this summer. The bad news is players who do not sign contracts offered them by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will not be on the flight from the Caribbean.

Last month, West Indies walked out of their tour to India because of a pay dispute with the WICB and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA).

Consequently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India are suing the WICB for U$42-million and could demand half their earnings, estimated at US$100-0million, from the 2015-23 rights cycle for international cricket.

Indications are that the issues that led to the walkout are within sight of being resolved, but the WICB took no chances when they named their test squad on Thursday.

“All players selected have been notified of their selection and that their selection is contingent upon their signing of the match tour contract which was sent to each player selected on Tuesday, November 11,” the WICB said in a statement.

“The deadline for the return of signed match tour contracts to the WICB is 5pm (Eastern Central Time), Tuesday, November 18.”

There was more where that tone came from in a warning to the players to behave from selection chair Clive Lloyd: “There is a significant amount of international cricket to be played over the next six months, including test matches against some of the higher ranked teams in world cricket and as such it would be critical for the squad to get off on a positive note in SA.”

The squads for the three T20s and five one-day internationals the Windies are due to play in SA after the test series were not announced on Thursday, which will fuel theories that the players’ relationship with the WICB and the WIPA remains fragile.

The test squad will be captained by Denesh Ramdin and includes Chris Gayle - who is currently re-acquainting himself with SA conditions, which he last encountered more than five years ago, by playing for the Lions in this season’s franchise T20 competition.

Batsman Kirk Edwards and off-spinner Shane Shillingford are the casualties from the 14 who beat Bangladesh 2-0 in the Caribbean in September. Fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell, batsman Marlon Samuels and wicketkeeper-batsman Chadwick Walton are the new faces in the 15.

The three-match series starts in Centurion on December 17.

West Indies test squad: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Sulieman Benn, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Braithwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton.