T20 World Cup and W.I. Mercenaries !

West Indies cricket is facing the prospect of a player strike on the eve of the World Twenty20

after the 15-man squad appeared collectively to reject the contracts

on offer from the WICB.

Darren Sammy, captain of the West Indies T20 side,

has written to the board stating the players "can't accept"

what they perceive as "huge financial reductions" in the terms compared to

previous global tournaments which, he says, amounts to

an 80 percent cut.

Sammy's letter in full

To all concerned at WICB

I am sending this as captain of the West Indies T20 side and as a collective representative of the 15 man squad selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

We have collectively discussed the remuneration on offer to participate in the T20 World Cup. Considering that 14 out of the 15 man squad are not part of WIPA - and hence have not given authorisation to WIPA to negotiate on our behalf - and a large number do not receive any significant remuneration from WICB at all, we want the opportunity to negotiate fairly the financial terms within the contract.

The 2015 World Cup took place with the WI squad remunerated under the terms and conditions that had been in place for the World Cups previous - ie that 25% of income received by the WICB for participating in the tournament was distributed to the squad.

We do not understand - nor accept - just 1 year later being offered contracts to participate in a major ICC World Cup that show such huge financial reductions.

We want to represent the West Indies but the financials on offer we can't accept.

Obviously I am not privy to exact numbers paid to the WICB from the ICC, but I understand USD $8m will be paid to the Board.

Traditionally 25% has been paid to the squad. That would equate to USD $2m / 15 therefore approximately USD $133,000 per player.

Worse case scenario the squad would earn $414,000 collectively under the terms of the contract offered by WICB to participate in the T20 World Cup 2016. That is just over 5%. A staggering difference, a near 80% reduction.

We want to propose we participate in the T20 World Cup 2016 under the same terms we have represented the West Indies in previous tournaments.

Please can you address this urgently. The T20 World Cup is just a matter of weeks away.

Darren Sammy

Michael Muirhead, the CEO of the WICB :

"We are not sure where you obtained this information, but assure you it is totally incorrect,"

Muirhead stated in connection with the $8m figure.

"As a result of the ICC revamp which was agreed on 8 February 2014,

the ICC has changed the manner in which distributions to Full Members

in relation to ICC Events are paid - starting from the ICC WT20 2016.

These payments are now spread out and distributed over an eight year cycle,

rather than being paid out in a lump sum and attributed to any one event."

Strike
The same group again

It looks as though Muirhead is in no mood to negotiate:

timesofindia.indiatimes.com/top-stories/...cleshow/50925819.cms

... and I don't think the players will back down.  So same ole, same ole ... always a controversy before a big event.

lol, I love it.

Everytime a new WI series is about to start, some new fiasco takes place.

The WICB wants to shaft the players and fill their pockets!    However, this point still stands true!

so basically, they got the players by the balls!  Since the players did NOT change the negotiating parties!  Something which you think they would have done after the India fiasco!