Digicel dismisses talk of selling out

Brian Lara: Will he be retained captain against South Africa? © Getty Images

Reports that CL Financial, a Trinidad and Tobago-based conglomerate, is about to buy out both the controversial contracts of the seven players who have signed deals with Cable & Wireless, as well as the US$20million sponsorship of Digicel have been dismissed as "utter rubbish" by a source connected to Digicel. "We are totally committed to this deal," he added. "We have invested too much time and effort to just walk away."

Reports of CL Financial's interest added a new dimension to the dispute. Only yesterday, a subsidiary of CL Financial announced a US$5million partnership with the WICB for the Regional Under-15 tournament. But those figures were also disputed, with Digicel pointing out that they had been offered the same sponsorship for $25,000. It does seem incredible that a regional U-15 event could be worth anything like the figures being quoted.

In a letter sent to the board, CL Financial indicated that they were looking to resolve the matter in the best interests of West Indies cricket. Roger Boynes, Trinidad's sports minister and a member of the CARICOM prime minister sub-committee, told The Trinidad Express, "There have been several options that are on the table which also includes an alternative sponsor." He also added that the board had enough options to settle the dispute in an amicable manner with the seven C&W-contracted players. "We cannot direct and dictate who will be a sponsor. You just leave that to the market."

According to Boynes, the sub-committee have received the contracts which are to be inspected by the board's lawyers.

Meanwhile, the West Indies Cricket Board denied claims made by a television channel that Brian Lara and three other players, who had been dropped earlier this month, had been selected in the squad for the first Test against South Africa beginning on March 31.

CCN TV6, a Trinidad-based television station, quoted unnamed sources saying that Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo had been included in the squad of 13, but these claims were described as "false" by a spokesman for the WIBC, who added: "The West Indies Cricket Board has received no communication from Cable and Wireless to this effect."