Ganga: 'Players were pressurised'

Daren Ganga: 'All of a sudden some guys were pressured' © Cricinfo Enlarge

Daren Ganga, who is leading West Indies A side in Sri Lanka, said that individuals in the squad had been put under pressure to join the main tour.

The West Indies board announced a second-string side after failing to resolve a bitter dispute with the Players' Association (WIPA). Eight of the A team are included in the 14-man squad.

On Monday, the A team were addressed by Tony Howard, who had flown to Sri Lanka on board instructions and without the knowledge of WIPA. Only two of the squad - Kerry Jeremy and Tino Best - agreed to sign the tour contract which is at the heart of the dispute, and the other members all signed a letter advising the board that they were backing the action taken by their colleagues.

On Wednesday, Roger Brathwaite, the CEO of the WICB, told reporters that the talks had produced a "positive response". But almost immediately that comment was shown up for what is was by the leaking of the players' letter.

The letter signed by West Indies A squad © caribbeancricket.com Enlarge

Ganga said that the "guys took a stance as a team" and explained that a divide-and-conquer approach appeared to have broken that resolve. "We held together as a team and all of a sudden some guys were pressured. We had situations where guys were pressured one-on-one as well to sign a contract. It undermined the entire trust of the team."

Xavier Marshall, Ryan Ramdass, Runako Morton,Dwayne Smith, Narsingh Deonarine and Jermaine Lawson subsequently signed contracts and will join the main tour party when they arrive at the weekend.

West Indies A team looked all at sea in the unofficial second Test against Sri Lanka, losing by an innings and 16 runs after being bowled out for 253 and 148 "We are not sort of mentally prepared to play cricket," explained Ganga.

"I am speaking on behalf of the majority of the team. We are just looking forward to see what transpires in a couple of days and see what happens and take it from there. I just hope the people and our supporters back home understand what is happening to our cricket and our players in terms of the stress that we are undergoing when these sort of situations arise."