International Cricket Council To Discuss West Indies/India Dispute

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, LONDON, England, Fri. Oct. 24, 2014: The International Cricket Council (ICC) says it will be disusing the dispute between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) at a board meeting on Nov. 10th.

The announcement comes as the West Indies Cricket Board could face a $US65 million in lost television revenues from the Board of Control for Cricket in India after its players withdrew from the rest of their Indian tour last week.

The team went on a strike and did not play the final game of the ODI series and neither did they bother to play the scheduled Twenty20 clash or the first, second or third Test matches.

The reason – The West Indies Cricket Board had no money to give them. Test, ODI and T20 payments were slashed by 75 per cent without the players’ consent or knowledge; no compensation was being offered for the use of intellectual property and playing fees from the ICC were virtually wiped out.

The strike by the Windies players was also met with support from the BCCI which suspended all future tours to the Carib¬bean.

The ICC this week said it hopes the matter between the WICB and the BCCI will be resolved amicably soon but clarified that, unless the matter is otherwise referred to it, it does not have the power to intervene in disputes resulting from a bilateral FTP tour.

The ICC Members’ Agreement (clause 7.6 under sub-heading Non-Compliance), however, states that “where… an Offending Party notified of compensation payable by it fails to pay the same in full… then such payment may be made to the Compliant party concerned by ICC out of such monies as may otherwise become due to the Offending Party whether out of its share of revenues arising out of the ICC Cricket World Cup or other ICC events,” according to Cricinfo.com.

If the BCCI lodges a complaint with the ICC, it is likely to refer the matter to its Disputes Committee – as is outlined in clause 7.3 of the Members’ Agreement – which has the power to define the figure owed by WICB to the BCCI.
After a seven-hour meeting Tuesday, the WICB issued a statement that was clearly designed to appeal to the BCCI.

“The West Indies Cricket Board regrets, and is deeply embarrassed, by the premature and unfortunate end to the recent tour of India,” the statement read. “The WICB once again expresses to the BCCI and all stakeholders – especially the cricket-loving public of the West Indies and India – sorrow for the events leading up to this development.

“The WICB believes a way can be found to repair the damage that has been caused and to ensure similar events do not recur, with the focus being on the betterment of West Indies and world cricket,” the statement added.

As well as requesting a meeting with the BCCI, the West Indies board said they had set up a task force to examine the cause of the tour’s collapse.

The WICB also vowed to assure Cricket South Africa that it will use its best endeavors to ensure a successful tour of South Africa as schedule.”

The first of three Tests against South Africa is due to start on December 17th.