Windies tour on after contracts signed

A MONTH after a pay dispute controversially derailed their tour to India, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) have confirmed that 14 topflight players have signed contracts committing them to a three-Test series in South Africa. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, the most powerful stakeholder in the game, suspended bilateral ties with the West Indies last month and threatened to claim millions in compensation after the Caribbean players quit the tour. There was initially concern about the South Africa tour going ahead next month, but West Indies management took the first step last week by selecting a 15man squad and giving players a week to sign and return the tour contracts. The WICB said Darren Bravo was the only player among those selected who asked not to be considered, due to personal reasons. He is yet to be replaced in the squad.

West Indies Test squad: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Sulieman Benn, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Braithwaite, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton. One to be added