West Indies cricketers ready for another showdown with board

September 28th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistani cricketers will be showered with huge cash rewards if they go on to win the ICC Champions trophy in South Africa, a senior Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said Monday. According to Wasim Bari, the PCB chief operating officer, the players will be flooded with rewards if they win their second International Cricket Council (ICC) event after having won the World Twenty20 earlier this year.

September 23rd, 2009 SYDNEY - Skipper Ricky Ponting is worried at the prospect of facing an under strength West Indies side during the opening game of the Champions Trophy, which would be followed by the start of the Australian cricket season against the same team. The Australians' opening pool game of the Champions Trophy is against a Windies line-up severely weakened by a contract dispute, which will give the world champions a look at what side could arrive this November.

September 12th, 2009 SYDNEY - CEO of Cricket Australia (CA) James Sutherland has said that CA has started exploring emergency plans ahead of their series against West Indies, following the possibility of West Indies sending a third-rate team. Sutherland said they are worried, as the dispute between West Indies Cricket Board and its senior players shows no signs of ending.

September 5th, 2009 KARACHI - Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ijaz Butt has said he has no issues with Younis Khan planning to form a national players' association. Butt said he would provide a helping hand in setting up such a body.

September 4th, 2009 PORT OF SPAIN - As talks to resolve a two-month dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and senior players ended without an agreement, an unknown batsman with a Test average of nine could possibly lead the team against Australia. Floyd Reifer, who has a Test average of 9.25, may lead the West Indies this summer, as twelve senior players, including captain Chris Gayle and star batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, went on strike in July on the eve of the home test series against Bangladesh after negotiations with the board broke down.

August 23rd, 2009 DHAKA - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina described the country's cricket team, which scored back-to-back series victory against West Indies and Zimbabwe, as "tigers" and promised measures to promote the game. Tiger is an allusion to the famed Royal Bengal tiger.

July 22nd, 2009 BRIDGETOWN - The stand-off between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the players' association, over pending contracts, is all set to end after both the parties agreed to immediate mediation and with the revolting players making themselves available for selection. The agreement was reached at a meeting in Georgetown with CARICOM (Caribbean Community) chairman and Guyana president Bharrat Jagdeo.

July 17th, 2009 BARBADOS - The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has come down hard on rebel players by suspending their retainership contracts and asked them to reply within ten days why they breached the board's code of conduct by boycotting the first Test against Bangladesh. The West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) was also quick to react Thursday and said that the players could not breach contractual obligations because they had not entered into an agreement with the WICB.

July 12th, 2009 KINGSTON - The crisis in West Indies cricket deepened with the board saying that the second-string side currently playing in the Test series against Bangladesh would be considered for selection for September's Champions Trophy. "This ensures that there will always be a solid pool of approximately 29 contracted players from which to draw for the board's future tour commitments," West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said in a statement.

June 27th, 2009 KINGSTON - India defeated West Indies by 20 runs in the first of the four one-day internationals here at the Sabina Park Friday. Brief Scores: India 339/6 in 50 overs (Yuvraj Singh 131, K.D.

June 19th, 2009 LONDON - Sri Lanka qualified for the title clash of the World Twenty20 after they defeated the West Indies by 57 runs in the second semi-final at The Oval here Friday. In Sundays final at the Lords, Sri Lanka will face Pakistan.

June 15th, 2009 LONDON - England made 161 for six in 20 overs against the West Indies in a Group E match of the Super Eight stage of the World Twenty20 at The Oval here Monday. Brief scores: England 161/6 in 20 overs (Ravi Bopara 55, Kevin Pietersen 31; Dwayne Bravo 2/30).

June 13th, 2009 LONDON - South Africa virtually assured themselves of a place in the semifinals of the World Twenty20 with a comprehensive 20-run win over the West Indies in a Group E match of the Super Eights at The Oval here Saturday. Put in to bat, South Africa made 183 for seven in 20 overs after some qucik scoring by the top order.

June 12th, 2009 LONDON - West Indies defeated India by seven wickets in a Group E Super Eight match of the World Twenty20 at Lord's here Friday. Brief scores: India 153/7 in 20 overs (Yuvraj Singh 67, Yusuf Pathan 31; Dwayne Bravo 4-38, Fidel Edwards 3-24).

May 27th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australia will play six Tests, 10 one-day internationals and three Twenty20s against the West Indies and Pakistan in 2009-2010. According to the Herald Sun, the summer will open with three Test matches against the West Indies, followed by three against Pakistan, the first in Australia since 2004-05.