Feud puts Windies dignity on the line

The dispute between the West Indies board and the players' association shows no signs of ending, forcing the Caribbean selectors to pick a weakened side for the second Test in a row. An editorial in the Barbados Advocate says that both the feuding parties must introspect, and that their relationship should be re-configured to ensure the least friction.

This may entail the termination of the current employment relation and the creation in its place of a status whereby on selection to the team a player will adhere to the contract for that year agreed to in advance between the WIPA and the WICB under arbitration. Alternatively, a player may be contracted to the team for a term of years under conditions similarly agreed to by his agent with the WICB.

Second, both organisations must indulge in some serious introspection. The WICB, to its credit, has already done such, with the team led by Mr. P J Patterson. However, the resulting report’s most celebrated recommendation, that of reforming the WICB itself, has understandably not been acted upon. We are not aware that the WIPA has undertaken any such self-analysis. But, for the end of regional cricket, we would urge its soonest adoption.