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West Indies are hoping for a massive reversal of fortunes in the third and final Test against New Zealand in Napier starting on Saturday while the hosts are looking to pull off a clean sweep in preparation for their expected tough tour of South Africa.New Zealand are looking to maintain morale before next month’s tour while the West Indies will be seeking to snap a record losing streak and to avoid a 0-3 drubbing in the Tests to go with the 1-4 hiding they took in the earlier one-day series.Despite their ten-wicket loss in the second Test in Wellington being the West Indies’ eighth successive defeat, Bennett King, the coach, claimed spirits were still intact and a win was not as elusive as history would suggest. “We don’t believe it’s a skill issue, we believe it’s an application and personal issue and we just have to be stronger as cricketers and people and we just have to go forward,” he said. We truly believe this side are capable of much better than what they’re doing.”While openers Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga have started each innings confidently, an apparent lack of concentration tends to creep in leading to wickets falling at regular intervals. The fact that Brian Lara is hopelessly out of form hasn’t helped and with Shivnarine Chanderpaul also struggling for runs the West Indies have suffered from a lack of steel in the middle order.While New Zealand’s batting has not been consistent either, they have benefitted from injuries in the West Indies bowling camp although King has assured Fidel Edwards, their strike weapon and most impressive player on tour, would be fit for the third Test. Edwards, who was sitting on a hat-trick at the end of New Zealand’s first innings of the last Test did not bowl in the second innings as a precaution against inflaming a leg injury. “He’s got a little niggle in one of his legs. It’s a jarring issue, but he’s in no doubt for the third Test, King said. Jerome Taylor may also start after missing the second Test due to a hamstring injury.Although New Zealand have the series wrapped up already at 2-0 they cannot afford to ease up as the selectors prepare to name the squad for next month’s tour of South Africa. Questions are already being asked whether the West Indians have provided adequate opposition to prepare New Zealand for the tough three-match series in South Africa, while South Africa warm up against Australia.But John Bracewell, New Zealand’s coach, said he was satisfied with their lead-up programme. “I think this series is a good platform because they have got some very good cricketers. We’re performing well as a unit at the moment and they’re not.” Bracewell said he had effectively pencilled in at least one extra seamer for the touring party of 15, while Michael Papps, the specialist opener, could also get a recall. Fledgling opener Hamish Marshall already knows there’s a question mark over his head.A year after being hailed as the new wonder boy of New Zealand cricket with centuriesagainst Australia and Sri Lanka he has struggled after being made to open the innings, and Bracewell has said Marshall needs a big score in Napier or he faces the axe. He finished last season averaging more than 45 in Tests, while his last six Test innings, four as opener, have produced an average of 11.83. “I’m still getting used to opening, and instead of being so defensive in terms of survival I just have to go out there and play my shots,” he said. “When you open you can get out early, and I have been, and it’s frustrating because it’s not through unplayable balls.”

For the second time in as many Tests, Graeme Smith, the South African captain, was surprised at the West Indian approach while bowling and felt that “they gave up too early”. Smith and his opening partner, AB de Villiers, rattled up an undefeated 214-run opening stand on the first day of the fourth Test at Antigua and gave South Africa a great chance to end a triumphant series on a high.”I didn’t think twice about batting after I won the toss and I was surprised when I found out that the West Indies were going to bowl first if they had the choice,” Smith was reported as saying in Reuters. “It was also surprising that they took [Tino] Best off after he started to reverse-swing the ball and that they started with Wavell Hinds after tea.”Smith had commented on the West Indian tactics in the earlier Test at Barbados as well when he felt that they didn’t allow their medium pacers to make full use of the new ball and reverted to part-timers instead. Just like then, both him and de Villiers cashed in with hundreds on a day when West Indies were left chasing shadows. “We never allowed them to settle, he added, “but I think the West Indies gave up too early.”Speaking about the fantastic opening partnership, Smith said that they had taken the weather forecast into account. “Our plan was to get a decent start,” he continued, “especially with the rain coming, and the rate we scored at helped to make up for the rain stoppages.”This was Smith’s third consecutive hundred of the series and he had to overcome an edgy start before the bludgeoning strokes began to flow. “I started iffishly,” he said, “but the wicket is really good and it saved me in the early stages of my innings.” He also admitted that de Villiers had played the more fluent knock: “AB was superb, you can’t get much better than 63 not out off 60 balls, which is what he had scored when we went off for rain the first time.”de Villiers said that he backed his positive instincts throughout the innings and was pleased that he had made a big score for the second consecutive Test. “I proved in Barbados that I can bat for a long time and my strokes will always be there,” he said. “They bowled a bit tighter at me when I reached the 80s but if the ball is there to be hit I will hit it. “Despite the series being sealed, Smith was eager that South Africa finish on a high. “If we win here it’s 100 Test victories for our country and three in a row on tour, which South Africa has never done before.”In what turned out to be a bizzarre end to the press conference, Smith, de Villiers and a group of journalists were accidentally locked into the room where the session took place. The players and two of the reporters escaped by climbing over a slippery rail and onto a neighbouring stand and the door was eventually forced open by ground staff some 15 minutes after the press conference ended.

India 255 for 6 (Dravid 84, Yuvraj 69) beat Zimbabwe 231 by 24 runs
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A match which seemed to be going India’s way turned out to be much closer than expected, as Zimbabwe made a spirited fist of chasing their 256-run target. Ultimately, despite healthy contributions from Sean Ervine and Dion Ebrahim (39 each), they fell 24 short, handing India their third win of the series, which took their VB Series points tally to 17.Zimbabwe had little to cheer about in their first three matches, but they showed far more intensity today. It started with a splendid display in the afternoon, when they excelled in the field and bowled with plenty of discipline to restrict India – despite Yuvraj Singh’s 69 and Rahul Dravid’s 84 – to reasonable limits. Then they showed plenty of resolve with the bat as well.Importantly, Zimbabwe attempted to fix the aspect of their game which had caused the most concern in the earlier matches – their top-order batting. Grant Flower was promoted to open, Travis Friend played as a specialist batsman and was slotted in at No. 3, and Stuart Carlisle returned after missing the previous game with an injury.The moves seemed to pay off, too, as Zimbabwe got off to their best start of the tournament. Mark Vermeulen was forced to retire hurt after being hit just above his right eye by an Irfan Pathan short ball – reports later confirmed that he had suffered a fracture – but Flower guided the early part of the run-chase, scoring 36 as Zimbabwe reached 65 without loss at the 15-over mark. Then, instead of a period of consolidation, there came a period of capitulation, as four wickets went down for the addition of 15 runs in seven overs.Friend was run out by a direct hit from Sourav Ganguly (66 for 1), Flower carved Ashish Nehra straight to VVS Laxman at deep extra cover (70 for 2), then Andy Blignaut, promoted to keep the asking rate under control, slapped a drive straight to Yuvraj at point (73 for 3). When Heath Streak suffered a rare failure, bowled through the gate by Ganguly for 3, Zimbabwe had slumped to 81 for 4, with all the earlier good work undone. Carlisle and Tatenda Taibu stopped the rot, adding 47 on either side of a 45-minute rain delay, but both perished soon after the resumption, and Zimbabwe, six down and requiring a further 108 from 13 overs, seemed out for the count.But Ervine and Ebrahim thought otherwise, clubbing drives down the ground repeatedly. Anil Kumble, in particular, felt the heat, going for 22 in two overs as Ervine pulled and steered boundaries, and Ebrahim executed a perfect reverse-sweep for four. Balaji, who bowled quite superbly throughout, finally broke through when Ervine clubbed a cover-drive straight to Ganguly, ending a frenetic 49-run stand.The run-chase was far from over, though, as Ray Price thrashed seven off his first two balls. Zimbabwe needed just 25 from the last three overs when Pathan – who, along with Balaji, was again India’s best bowler – finally nailed the contest, persuading Ebrahim to hole out to Ganguly at midwicket (231 for 8). With Vermeulen not fit to return, that wicket effectively ended Zimbabwe’s charge.India’s total of 255 owed much to a stand of 114 for the fourth wicket between Yuvraj and Dravid, which bailed the team out after they had stuttered out of the blocks.On a flat pitch and against a modest Zimbabwean attack, the Indians would have expected a torrent of runs after opting to bat, but it didn’t quite pan out that way as they managed just 67 in the first 15 overs, losing both openers in the process. Both Streak and Blignaut bowled testing spells, forcing the batsmen to take risks.The rewards followed: Parthiv Patel, in the team in place of the injured Sachin Tendulkar, was bowled attempting a pull (41 for 1), Ganguly – for the second time in consecutive matches – fell to a short ball, and a magnificent one-handed catch by Douglas Hondo at short fine leg (67 for 2). When Laxman wafted loosely at one outside off and was caught behind, the Indian innings had slumped to 74 for 3, and was in danger of coming unstuck.Dravid and Yuvraj then stitched together the revival. Dravid wasn’t quite as fluent as in the match against Australia two days before, but his solidity was the ideal foil for Yuvraj’s exuberance. Both started off with risk-free batting, before gradually stepping it up – Yuvraj essayed his trademark powerful pulls and drives, while Dravid finally started finding the gaps in the field.It was still hard work, though, as the Zimbabweans threw themselves at the ball with gusto and stopped almost everything – Hondo at short third man and Ebrahim in the outfield were outstanding.Price finally ended the partnership with the last ball of his spell, when he sneaked one through the gate to bowl Yuvraj (188 for 4). Rohan Gavaskar, sent in ahead of Hemang Badani, and Dravid kept the momentum going with some superb running between the wickets and a few meaty blows. Both Gavaskar and Dravid fell in the space of three balls in the quest for quick runs, and it needed a slogged four from Pathan to lift India past 250. As it turned out, it was just enough to sneak a win.

Northern Districts and New Zealand pace bowler Simon Doull announced today that he will not be available for the remainder of the State Championship season.Though Doull has not ruled out a return to domestic one-day cricket next season, the statement issued by Northern Districts has the tone of a farewell tribute and suggests that Doull’s distinguished career is over.Work commitments, a relocation and physical wear and tear are given as Doull’s reasons for stepping aside.Doull made his debut for ND in the 1989/90 season, first playing Test cricket for New Zealand against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in 1992/93.He went on to play 32 Tests, taking 98 wickets at an average of 29.30, placing him 11th in the list of New Zealand wicket-takers. One of the factors in Doull’s decision is an acceptance that he will not get the chance to reach a century of Test wickets.His best performance was seven for 65 against India at the Basin Reserve, Wellington on Boxing Day 1998. A superb display of swing bowling removed the top seven Indian batsmen, including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.In all, Doull played in 99 first-class matches (falling just short of three figures seems to be a habit), taking 250 wickets at 28.93 and scoring 1938 runs at 19.58 with a single hundred, 108 against Canterbury at Lancaster Park in 1991/92.He represented New Zealand in 42 One-Day Internationals, taking 36 wickets. He also scored 172 runs at the healthy strike rate of 91.97.Doull won the Winsor Cup as the country’s best bowler in 1996/97.In the last two years he has reinvented himself as a swashbuckling, and sometimes devastating, pinch hitter at the top of the order in one-day cricket. Achieving a surprisingly high success rate, Doull’s batting has been decisive in a number of matches, most notably his recent dismantling of the England attack. His 47-ball 80 launched ND towards successful pursuit of the tourists’ 288.Doull’s announcement followed his omission from the Northern Districts team for today’s State Championship match against Central Districts in Hamilton, though there is no hint of sour grapes on Doull’s part. He has performed 12th man duties cheerfully enough.Northern Districts CEO John Turkington paid tribute to Doull.”Simon’s contribution to Northern Districts Cricket to this point has been exceptional. He has performed with the highest distinction in playing terms for both Northern Districts and New Zealand. He has also been a fantastic ambassador for the association in all off field activities.”In these professional times when it is so easy for players to change associations, his unquestioned loyalty to this association through his entire playing career is greatly appreciated and is indicative of the person he is. We look forward to Simon having a major role in the development of the next generation of Northern Districts’ quick bowlers.”

The Zimbabwe cricket team stepped up their preparations for the Second Test against India at Harare, the match venue, with both the captain Heath Streak and coach Carl Rackemann confident that the side will put up a more polished performance than they did in the First Test.The side had extensive practice in the nets with the ball and bat, and also did a lot of fielding practice. Zimbabwe batted woefully in the first innings of the Queens Test and were dismissed for a mere 173, a record low for the venue. The bowlers then struggled with the Indian tail, resulting in the tourists taking a commanding 145-run lead. India went on to win the match by eight wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match Zimbabwe Sun series.It was India’s first away win in 15 years and also their first Test win in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe lost two frontline bowlers, Streak and Henry Olonga, a last-minute replacement for Travis Friend, in the match and had only three bowlers for India’s second innings.Streak and Friend are back in the squad for the Second Test which starts on Friday. Streak was confident that he would be in a position to play. “I am giving it one more day of rest before I go flat out in the nets. It should be fine. Our physiotherapist (Amato Machikicho) is quiet confident and I also had an orthopedic surgeon have a look at it in Bulawayo and he was pretty certain that it should be fine.”Streak added that Friend had responded well to treatment after suffering a muscle strain, which forced him to pull out of the Bulawayo Test on the eve of the opening day.”Friend looks good. He was in the nets today and he is bowling with some good pace. It looks as though he is fully fit for the game. Hopefully he wakes up tomorrow feeling good and we won’t have a similar problem like we had in Bulawayo.”Streak said that although they had always played under pressure, this time they were under more pressure to try to level the series. “Being 1-0 down we are under more pressure to try and pull it back. We realised where we had our downfall and the guys are working very hard in the nets to try and rectify that. We batted badly in the first innings. We hope to put it right in this Test and we are ready to go.”He felt that they could have restricted India to a smaller first-innings total than the 318 they made. India had slumped to 178 for six after the dismissal of leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar in the 53rd over. But they were allowed to bat for another 36 overs in which spinner Harbhajan Singh, coming in at number nine, made his highest Test score of 66. It was India’s second highest contribution after the 74 by Tendulkar.”Obviously we always realised that their top order was the danger and we really worked hard but I think that the loss of Henry Olonga put an extra load of work on the bowlers. We let Harbhajan Singh get away with a bit more than we should have, which allowed their tail to wag. Hopefully we won’t let that happen again with a better balanced side, without any injuries.”Carl Rackemann was impressed with his side’s preparations. “Firstly these practice wickets are the best I have seen them and that’s a good start for us. And our worries of injuries: Henry is going to be out but Heath Streak is coming back. Travis Friend has had a good bowling session today and he looks good.”So we look like going into the Test without any injury or fitness worries. Skillwise today has been a very good day in batting, bowling and fielding. On Thursday we will spent a little bit of time talking about the game and the last match in Bulawayo. Our first innings batting is high on the list of the things to be discussed. It won’t be as physically demanding, especially for the bowlers playing in the match.”The Australian coach said that they had learnt a lesson from the Bulawayo Test. “I think the batting in the first innings was filled with poor shot selection, playing a wrong shot to the wrong ball and lacking patience while at the crease and we were also not positive. We are going to address that. In the Second Test we have to bat like we did in the second innings at Queens in both innings.”Rackemann was also disappointed with the way Harbhajan Singh was allowed to score his 66 from 125 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six. “Principally Harbhajan Singh was the man who did most of the damage and we have to make sure that it does not happen again. We will have to bowl differently to him than the way we did in Bulawayo and make sure that there is no repeat of that."

ScorecardFile photo: Ambati Rayudu struck a rapid fifty to push India A into the lead•Getty Images

A string of fifties, and a particularly brisk one late in the day from captain Ambati Rayudu, has pushed India A into the lead at stumps on the second day of the second unofficial Test in Wayanad. South Africa A have fallen behind despite offspinner Dane Piedt’s four wickets. With the series still in the balance at 0-0, India A have four wickets including wicketkeeper-batsman Ankush Bains to work on the 82-run advantage come the third day.Much of the hosts’ good work with the bat came from the top order, with Abhinav Mukund and Jiwanjot Singh striking half-centuries in an opening stand of 96. Jiwanjot, in his first first-class fifty since January, struck seven fours while Mukund extended his good run – it was his third fifty-plus score in four unofficial Tests against Australia A and South Africa A.The visitors needed a lift and Piedt provided that, taking three wickets for 56 runs. Mukund was trapped lbw for 72, B Aparajith’s patience ran out for 34 and Sheldon Jackson was bowled for 25 as India A’s one-way traffic was threatened. The other success for South Africa A was Lonwabo Tsotsobe taking his 200th first-class wicket, as he picked up 2 for 38.But India A captain Rayudu helped himself to a breezy 81-ball 71 which included eight fours and three sixes and ensured South Africa A did not gather momentum. He looked set to take control of the match too, but Piedt fought back again when he had Rayudu caught by Bavuma eight overs before stumps.Bains, who had been Rayudu’s partner in a 56-run stand for the sixth wicket, took India A to stumps and will look to rally the tail around him tomorrow.

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Andre Fletcher’s 70 helped Grenada post 177 for 6, the highest score of the season, which was enough for them to scrape past Anguilla by a 16-run margin to move into the quarter-finals of the Stanford 20/20 in Coolidge.Anguilla’s chase was off to an inauspicious start when they lost openers Lyndel Richardson (18) and Chesney Hughes (8) for the addition of 33 runs. However, Montcin Hodge, who remained unbeaten on a 39-ball 75 that included seven sixes, and Omari Banks, who made 44 runs with a couple of sixes and a four, added 93 runs in 10 overs to briefly threaten Grenada.The duo went on the attack at the half-way mark. With the required run-rate having gone past 10 an over, they blasted 58 runs between the 10th and 14th over, but were kept down to only 35 runs in the next six overs. By the time Banks was run out in the 16th over, the target had gone beyond the reach of Hodge, who ensured Anguilla went out with a bang by taking 18 runs off the last over.Earlier, Man-of-the-Match Fletcher, in partnership with Heron Campbell (27), gave Grenada an aggressive start, striking two consecutive sixes in the fifth over off left-arm spinner Hughes. The duo’s 82-run stand came in only 7.3 overs, after which Fletcher brought up his half-century by glancing a Hodge delivery to the fine leg boundary. Fletcher, who was troubled by cramps, scored 20 more runs before holing out to long-off.Shridath Rey, the 17-year-old left-arm spinner, brought down the run-rate with some tight bowling, conceding only ten runs in his first three overs. But he finished with figures of 1 for 28 as 19 runs were taken in his final over, with Clyde Telesford (who scored 21) blasting two consecutive sixes in the 17th over. Grenada looked set for a massive score, but their middle order added only 22 runs in the last three overs without the help of any boundaries. In the end, their total proved to be sufficient.

John Davison, the captain of Canada, fears for the future of his adopted country’s progress as a cricket nation unless a more professional set-up is put in place.”The most important thing for Canadian cricket is that we get some sort of infrastructure in place,” Davison said. “The Canadian Cricket Association doesn’t have anyone who is employed by the association. It’s basically done on a voluntary basis.Most of Canada’s squad at the World Cup discovered cricket overseas. Sunil Dhaniram, the 38-year-old left-arm spinner, played for Guyana and Anderson Cummins, the 40-year-old fast bowlerm represented West Indies at the 1992 World Cup. However, Davison – who, at the 2003 World Cup, secured his place in history by scoring the fastest World Cup century, off 67 balls, against the West Indies – insisted homegrown players were coming through the ranks.”There are definitely talented players in the country. We need them to be coached properly and brought through a system.” He also felt that Canada needed a proper system for bringing through players: “If we want to compete at this level we are going to have to be semi-professional at least if not professional.”Canada, with just one full-time professional in opener Geoff Barnett, who plays for New Zealand’s Central Districts, bounced back from a seven-wicket loss in their World Cup opener by Kenya, with a creditable display in a 51-run defeat by England in St. Lucia. Chasing 280, they finished on 228 for 7 – their highest World Cup score – and it was a notable achievement for a team featuring a salesman, a telephone technician and a teacher among a variety of full-time occupations. Dhaniram, a fork-lift truck driver by profession, had a match to remember when he picked up three wickets for seven runs in 11 balls to spark an England middle-order collapse.Davison said he would be around for a little while longer yet, even suggesting he could play in the next World Cup, in 2011, at the age of 40. “We’ve got a four-day game coming up against Ireland in the Intercontinental Cup in May and I’ll definitely be playing in that. And I’ll believe I’ll play in the next [World Cup] qualifiers in two years’ time and after that we’ll see how we go.”Davison added that Canada and all the other associate or junior nations at the World Cup could take heart from Ireland’s shock win against Pakistan. “I thought they were brilliant,” he said. “The way they fielded, the catching in the slips and the way the skipper [Trent Johnson] polished it off with a six, was great. We are good mates with most of the associate nations and we were on their side.”Canada have one more game to go, against New Zealand on March 22 in St. Lucia.

ScorecardA gritty allround performance by Shreyas Khanolkar helped Railways clinch the Ranji Trophy one-day tournament by defeating Uttar Pradesh by 20 runs in a tense encounter at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. It was a fitting end to the season for Railways who had begun the domestic season by winning the Irani Trophy as well. UP, the winners of the Ranji Trophy first-class tournament, lost the opportunity of completing a dream double.Railways’ decision to bat first on a true surface nearly backfired after an inspired opening spell by Praveen Kumar, the UP allrounder, who utilised the conditions – with plenty of lateral movement and bounce – to his advantage. Amit Pagnis and Tejinder Pal Singh fell without scoring while Sanjay Bangar, the captain, and Jai Prakash Yadav perished, after a brief flourish, to Kumar, who had Railways reeling at 41 for 4 in the 12th over.Khanolkar survived a confident shout for lbw off his first ball but thereafter he and Sushanth Manjrekar grafted for singles and picked up the odd boundary. The pair added 104 for the fifth wicket before Manjrekar, on 47, edged a steep delivery to Amir Khan, the wicketkeeper, off Shalabh Srivastava. Raja Ali fell soon after and the spinners chipped in to restrict Railways. Khanolkar eventually went for 73, stepping down the track to Piyush Chawla and holing out long-off. His innings spanned 92 balls and included five boundaries. Kumar snapped up his fifth victim as soon as he began his second spell, dismissing Rahul Deb, who tried to push the scoring. Ali Murtaza, the left-arm spinner, wrapped up the innings for 224, as Railways were dismissed in the 48th over.UP began their chase confidently as Kumar struck a 22-ball 21 that included a straight-driven six off Yadav. They were soon pegged back by a double strike by Harvinder Singh. Kumar’s cameo was cut short by a brilliant catch by Manjrekar running backwards and Jyoti Prasad Yadav was trapped in front soon after. His dismissal proved crucial as it exposed the inexperienced middle order to slow bowlers who stifled the batsmen.Bangar utilised the spinners effectively and Kulmani Parida and Khanolkar, unafraid to toss the ball up to induce the lofted strokes, made inroads at regular intervals. The UP batsmen were not prepared to graft and they perished by stepping down the track only to find the fielders. They depended heavily on Ravikanth Shukla but his dismissal for 44, caught on the boundary edge by Yadav brought Railways back into the match.Khanolkar accounted for Anshul Kapoor and Chawla to finish with figures of 3 for 46. Struggling at 162 for 7, Ali Murtaza and Amir played sensibily and ran well between the wickets during their 32-run eight-wicket partnership before Amir was bowled by Parida while trying to make too much room.Ironically, it was poor running, resulting in a couple of needless run-outs, that let UP down ultimately. Praveen Gupta went for a risky run and was run-out at the non-striker’s end while Srivastava was found short of his crease by Bangar’s hurl to the wicketkeeper that capped a professional performance by Railways.Bangar was obviously delighted and singled out Khanolkar for his performance. He also said he was confident of defending 225, given that UP were without their stars, Suresh Raina, Mohammad Kaif and RP Singh, who are with the Indian squad for the ODI series against England.”We thought that 225 was a good score on this wicket and knew that we were in with a chance after we got Jyoti Yadav,” a visibly excited Bangar said. “They are an inexperienced side and have never been tested under pressure”.

The ongoing sponsorship dispute between the West Indian players and the board failed to reach a conclusion, with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) taking the firm stand that seven players, including Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle, would not be considered for selection until their individual contracts with Cable and Wireless were properly inspected.”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,” the board said in a statement. The confrontation between the two mobile companies, Cable and Wireless and Digicel, worsened with each blaming the other for a crisis which has been unresolved since last December. Digicel also rejected the proposals put forth by Keith Mitchell, the Prime Minister of Grenada.”The board has noted various comments and recommendations made on behalf of the CARICOM prime ministerial sub-committee on cricket issued in a statement by the chairman of that sub-committee on the evening of March 11, 2005,” stated the board. “The board also noted public statements issued by the parties involved. From these statements, it is the understanding of the board that the recommendations outlined in the prime minister’s statement have not been agreed to by all of the parties.”The WICB did not mention when the inspection of contracts would be completed. However, the West Indies Players Association has indicated that it has been successful in getting the players to waive the confidentiality clauses in their contracts, thereby making it easier for the board to scrutinize these documents.The board stated, however, that the home series against South Africa and Pakistan would proceed as planned, and that the West Indian squad for the first Test against South Africa would be named on March 17. It also stated that the board would commence inspection of the Cable and Wireless contracts of those seven players. “The purpose of the Board’s inspection of the contracts is to ensure that the contracts do not impose on the players any obligations which could cause them or the WICB to be in breach of the sponsorship contract which has been executed between the WICB and Digicel.”The players who hold personal endorsement contracts with Cable and Wireless – [Dwayne] Bravo, [Fidel] Edwards, [Chris] Gayle, Lara, [Ravi] Rampaul, Sarwan and Dwayne Smith – will not be considered for selection to the West Indies team until the board satisfies itself as to the nature of those contracts.”