West Indies not guaranteed a place in the VB Series

Ricky Ponting is hopes West Indies' contract negotiations are resolved © Getty Images

The cricket authorities in Australia may invite an alternative side to replace West Indies in the VB Series in January if West Indies do not manage to resolve the dispute with many player of their full-strength side.

Peter Young, the general manager of public affairs for Cricket Australia, indicated that an alternative team would be considered for the triangular one-day series which will be hosted by Australia and also includes Pakistan. "At the moment we're talking about hypotheticals," he said, "but if they don't [agree], we will start thinking about alternatives."

Normally, the host and visiting teams agrees to a 'Memorandum of Understanding' that obliges sides to be full-strength. However, it is not clear whether or not such a clause exists in any agreements between the boards in West Indies and Australia.

Ricky Ponting, who will be leading Australia in the second Test against on New Zealand that starts this Friday, expressed his disappointment at the protracted negotiations between the West Indies cricket board and the players association. "Hopefully it will be sorted out and resolved and hopefully they do send out their full-strength side," he said.

James Sutherland, the chief executive of Cricket Australia said: "Our view also is that international cricket should be about the best playing the best. All we can do for now is [to] monitor the progress of those parties. The issue is a matter for the West Indies board and its players to resolve.

"A week is a long time in cricket and we have seven more before the West Indies join us for the VB Series on 14 January."

The only available full international teams would be India or Kenya, although Australia A could also be considered.