Fate Of South Africa Tour May Be Decided Today (7 November 1998)

7 November 1998

Fate Of South Africa Tour May Be Decided Today

The Barbados Nation

The fate of the West Indies cricket tour to South Africa could be decided today.

President of the West Indies Players' Association, Courtney Walsh, indicated this in an interview with the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation TV Sports last night from London.

It came after an impassioned plea from South African President Nelson Mandela failed to bring peace between the opposing factions within West Indies cricket yesterday.

Walsh, after meeting with the other West Indies players all day, said he hoped that the process of reconciliation could get started today.

"Tomorrow (today) we will issue a Press release and hopefully I think it will start to get the ball rolling.

"I hope that tomorrow (today) is the day that everything is sorted out. I would not say (that things will) come to a head but that everybody can get a drift of everything and we can start the ball rolling from there," he said.

The day began with the arrival of South Africa cricket chief Ali Bacher carrying letters from Mandela to each of the 16 players urging them to tour.

"He brought a letter from President Nelson Mandela of South Africa. I mean one cannot turn your back on a letter like that ... obviously they are showing their keeness for the tour to go on. We are here hoping that we can be a part of it," Walsh said.

"I think that it is time we sit down and start to discuss .... Time is running out, we have been here long enough. We want to get on with the job."

However, after receiving the letters, the players spent all day in a meeting in their Heathrow hotel - a five-minute walk from another hotel where Bacher and the West Indies management were staying.

Bacher, who personally handed Mandela's letters to Walsh, said he hoped a meeting would go ahead soon, but did not know when.

"It's important to all younger players in South Africa," Bacher quoted Mandela as saying. "I'm sure that everyone in the West Indies understands that."

Bacher told reporters he was convinced the problem could be resolved.

"I am confident there will be a resolution," he said.

"He is a good man, a quality man and is very warmly disposed towards coming to South Africa," Bacher said of Walsh.

"They (the players) want the tour to take place."

The West Indian players, headed by sacked captain Brian Lara, are in dispute with the West Indies Board over pay and other conditions.

Late in the afternoon Bacher emerged to say that Walsh was still in talks with the rest of the squad, but he and The Management team of Lloyd and West Indies Cricket Board member Joel Garner hoped to meet them later.

However, by early evening there was still no meeting between the two sides.

Walsh said he had spoken briefly to Garner.

"I spoke to him briefly and he said he was on his way to Bangladesh. I was supposed to have a chat to him but it was a long day and I did not get a chance to speak to him.

"But I have spoken to all the members of the board home and I have also spoken to our team manager Clive Lloyd who is here as well," he stated.

The WICB sacked Lara and his deputy, Carl Hooper, on Wednesday and the row quickly escalated when other players also in London refused to join the tour.

They were joined yesterday by all but one of the rest of the West Indies squad who arrived with Bacher and Lloyd from Johannesburg.

Mervyn Dillon remained in South Africa with team coach Malcolm Marshall. He reportedly was unable to find his passport.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)