New coach, new approach for West Indies

The ongoing row between the West Indies board and the players took another twist with a warning from the board's CEO that the appointment of Bennett King as coach heralded a new era of discipline.

"I think they will recognise straight away that the people who are in charge have a very different outlook with respect to discipline, fitness, commitment and passion," said Roger Brathwaite. "Those who don't share that philosophy unfortunately will be told that perhaps they should be doing something else. It is going to be very clear going that if you want to represent the West Indies you have to share these qualities. That will be across the board."

The West Indies' management have been criticised for several years for allowing a culture of indiscipline to go unchecked, but Brathwaite argued that was not the fault of the board. "Whatever was done was to ensure that decisions which were taken were consistent with the board's code of conduct," he told The Nation newspaper. "That has not changed. The code of conduct has been revised and ... it is very clear with what is expected of players and officials."

The three-week training camp which was supposed to have started in Barbados today was postponed at the last minute as the dispute over contracts rumbled on. It had been thought that the breakthrough in negotiations last week had freed the way for the pre-tour training to go ahead. Nine of the 25 squad members have signed the new contracts and they have already arrived in Barbados.