West Indies angered at slogan's undertones

Otago Cricket's slogan to promote Test cricket, "It's all white here!", has been strongly condemned by the West Indies Players' Association ahead of the Dunedin Test between New Zealand and West Indies next month. The idea mirrors another promotion a few years ago in which New Zealand fans were encouraged to "black out" in support of their team, nicknamed the Black Caps.

However, the concept has angered people in New Zealand and abroad, forcing an apology from Otago Cricket's chief executive Ross Dykes. "We just wanted a catchy phrase to help sell the game," Dykes said. "It was all based around the association of the colour with cricket."

The former commentator, Billy Ibadulla, said the idea was ill-concevied. "The connection between the phrase and white clothing is stupid at best, and grievous at worst," Ibadulla said.

Despite the apologies, WIPA has vehemently condemned the phrase. "This slogan which, in our view, may be reasonably perceived to be loaded with racial innuendoes has quite naturally raised eyebrows in many places, including New Zealand itself," WIPA said in a statement.

"It comes at a time when the spectre of racial intolerance is insidiously and, at times, openly appearing in major sporting events. We at WIPA and its members wish to disassociate ourselves from any perceived contributing factor.

"Whatever may be the reasons advanced by the bodies in New Zealand for this promotional approach, innocently as some may claim, it appears to be totally insensitive and myopic as to the ramifications. We request that the West Indies Cricket Board take up this issue as a matter of urgency with New Zealand Cricket, conveying our deep concern about participating in an event with such a 'perceived' racial slogan."

Sam Guillen, the former wicketkeeper who played Test cricket for both West Indies and New Zealand and now lives in Christchurch, said regardless of Otago Cricket's intentions, the slogan would raise eyebrows among the West Indies players. "I know exactly how the players will feel," Guillen told the Press.

"The first thing that will go through their mind is it's white against black which should never come into sport. Whoever did it will have to go to them and say 'we didn't mean it like that', but it should never have happened."

Not all observers were so strongly against the idea, however. New Zealand's former batsman Glenn Turner said people could be "too politically correct". "It's about the tone. I don't think anyone had negative intention here," Turner said. "But whether it's a bit loose or sloppy is open to comment."