…as Dyson looks ahead to cricket
CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC – The West Indies players’ union tackles the regional governing body on contentious off-field issues today which have jeopardized tomorrow’s fifth One Day International (ODI), but team coach John Dyson focused yesterday on plans to win the series.
“It would be terrific to win the match and win the One-Day Series and end the tour on a high,” Dyson said yesterday after the Windies completed a three-hour training session at the Beausejour Ground.
But while coach Dyson anxiously looks at the prospects of a series win tomorrow, an important meeting between the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) today is expected to decide whether the match will go ahead.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle threatened last weekend that the West Indies players were prepared to boycott the St Lucia ODI if outstanding issues with the WICB remain unsettled.
Speaking ahead of the fourth ODI on Sunday at Kensington Oval, Gayle declared his disappointment with the way negotiations have unfolded between WIPA and the WICB and said that “a boycott is a real possibility”.
Gayle’s comments followed the board’s pronouncements after intense negotiations during a two-day meeting in Barbados to settle a number of issues.
These issues include terms and conditions, as well as outstanding match fee payments for members of the West Indies team for previous matches and the players’ union has rejected the board’s position on these matters.
WIPA President Dinanath Ramnarine announced on March 19 that he had resigned as a director of the WICB saying his position had become untenable because of the WICB’s lack of movement on several key players issues.
The West Indies players failed to show up for a planned cocktail reception two days before the first ODI in Guyana, and wore duct tape over the sponsors’ logo on the sleeves of their uniforms during the match while players in the regional first-class competition staged a one-day strike on March 20.
In a press statement released on Monday, WIPA said the WICB failed to address critical issues which required urgent attention and maintained a fighting stance on the matter.
Several international press reports had suggested that the disagreeing parties would have been meeting yesterday here in St Lucia but a WICB source confirmed to CMC Sport Wednesday afternoon that the much anticipated meeting is scheduled for 10:00 am local time today.
On the eve of the pivotal meeting, Dyson concentrated on match preparation and declared that his players have what it takes to beat England in the deciding Digicel One-Day International tomorrow and take the series.
The series is locked 2-2 and Dyson is hopeful the tour will end in triumph for the Caribbean side.
“This has been a long tour and has been a very good tour for the West Indies. If that (winning the series) happens the West Indies would have won the Test series, the T20 and the ODIs. That would be a very good performance,” Dyson said.
The Windies won the five-match Digicel Test Series 1-0 when they dismissed England for 51 in the second innings to win by an innings and 23 runs at Sabina Park.
The home boys were equally impressive when they won the Digicel T20 International at Queen’s Park Oval.
“Throughout the series the team has made progress by showing they can consistently perform, they are prepared to fight ‘til the end, and they will not throw in the towel. These are very good signs and show the steps forward that the players are making,” Dyson added.
“If we can play to our ability the crowd will be in for a very exciting game and if we come out on top that would make for a very good series for West Indies cricket and for the players in particular.”
Dyson added that there is always room for improvement and noted that he would like to see some of the younger members of the team putting in “big performances”.
