West Indian players to become full-time professionals

Come October and the West Indian cricketers are likely to become full-time, contracted cricketers. According to a report in Trinidad and Tobago Express, the West Indian Players' Association (WIPA) and the board held discussions last week in which it was agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding would be signed between the two parties soon.

Roger Brathwaite, the chief executive of the West Indian Cricket Board (WICB), announced that the second stage of negotiations had been completed. The report mentions that the next stage of talks - dealing with the WICB's use of the contracted players' images for advertising - would be held later. Brathwaite confirmed that the contracts should be ready in about four months: "I think it would be realistic to expect that we would have tied up everything and that the chosen players would be on contracts by October 1, which is the start of our financial year."

Teddy Griffith, the president of WICB, mentioned that while the contract system of various countries were studied, the Australian model was the one that they decided to follow most closely. He noted that since the West Indian team comprised players from various countries, the contract was designed keeping in mind the different labour laws in various regions. Under the system, the contracted players would be assured an annual salary, apart from the match fees and endorsement money.

Griffith also clarified that the board was planning to have a system in place which would reduce the possibility of a strike by the players. "We have agreed on a process that overcomes that and ensures that we should not have a repetition of the players' strike of last year. It does not remove the players' right to strike but it does put in place an agreed procedure before that can occur." The semi-finals of the Carib Beer Cup was delayed by a day last season due to a strike.

Australia, South Africa, England, New Zealand and Zimbabwe all have a contract system in place, while India is likely to have one too before the start of the next season.