Leading Windies players set for Australia tour

	Chris Gayle won't be in South Africa but will be considered for the tour of Australia © AFP Enlarge
Related Links News : Australia optimistic of hosting full-strength Windies News : Windies stick to depleted ODI squad In Focus: West Indian contracts crisis Players/Officials: Chris Gayle Series/Tournaments: West Indies tour of Australia | West Indies tour of South Africa Teams: West Indies

Senior West Indies players including Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Jerome Taylor, will be available for the team's tour of Australia despite being left out of the Champions Trophy squad according to a WICB director.

Paul Campbell, one of two Jamaicans on the board, said that as long as players make themselves available for the domestic one-day tournament, which starts in October, they will be considered for selection for the tour of Australia.

"All players are expected to make themselves available for the regional one-day tournament, and, as such, would be in contention for a place on the team for the tour of Australia," Campbell told the Jamaica Gleaner.

West Indies' leading players have been involved in a contractual dispute with the board in recent months and it led to a shadow team being selected to play the series against Bangladesh. West Indies lost both the Test and one-day series, but the selectors have shown faith with the fringe players who filled the gap during and the squad for the Champions Trophy will be led by Floyd Reifer.

Joel Garner, also a WICB director, said it was important to show loyalty to the those who faced Bangladesh and that it was time players realised that representing West Indies should be an honour.

"I do not think that we have asked the players that are playing cricket for West Indies to take up a gun and go to war, or anything like that," he told CBC Radio. "It is a case of national duty and representing the region, and I think that is an honour.

"I think the time has come when [the WICB] has to draw the line and try to get the players to understand that there is a sacrifice that has to be made. We can't keep doing things business as usual. We have to look to see how best we can improve West Indies cricket.

"I think you have to reward the people that have been loyal to you and at the end of the day, they withdrew their services."