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The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) remained an anxious bystander yesterday as the game's latest conflict simmered on the other side of the world.

Along with the other nine full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the WICB will receive US$8.85 million (approximately BDS$17.7 million) for participating in next month's Champions' Trophy in Sri Lanka and next year's World Cup in South Africa, not taking into account prize money of more than US$6 million.

But both tournaments have been thrown into turmoil by a stand-off between the ICC and the players over sponsorship in which India and Australia are the teams most affected.

No West Indians have individual endorsements that clash with those of the ICC. But the 14 named in the squad have been told by the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) to follow the Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) line on a matter of principle and in the interest of unity.

Like all ICC members, the WICB is required to sign the Participating Nations Agreement (PNA) under which it is committed to sending its best team to both tournaments.

If its leading players absent themselves, it is likely to be heavily fined by the ICC, losing money that it cannot afford at a time when it has lost US$15 million over the last three years.

"The world of cricket is engulfed in an unprecedented crisis," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement in Bangalore yesterday after its players refused to sign their contracts.

The ICC is adamant that players relinquish personal sponsorships that conflict with its own official partners, covered by a US$550 million, seven-year deal for commercial rights it signed with Global Cricket Corporation (GCC) two years ago.

But the Indian team, presently on tour of England, issued a statement on Monday night stating their reasons for rejecting the ICC contract.

"We are not boycotting the ICC, but the ICC is boycotting us," it charged.

Acting on FICA advice, players from Australia, South Africa and the West Indies have also declined the contracts. Other participants – Bangladesh, England, Holland, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka Zimbabwe – reportedly have had no problems with the contracts.

The Indian board yesterday confirmed it would participate in the Champions Trophy, scheduled from September 12 to 29, even if it meant sending a weakened team. It revealed it had instructed its selectors to name 20 "probables" if it came to that.

"The board also believes that efforts to sort out problems should be through a process of consultation," it said in a media release. "With this view, the board had several rounds of discussions with the players to get out of the impasse over the last few days".

ICC chief executive arrived in India yesterday and is expected to discuss the issue with the BCCI today.

Neither India nor Australia has yet announced their teams for the tournament, in spite of the ICC's August 12 deadline.

Ironically, the WICB applied for an extension of the deadline to allow its selectors to assess form in the current Red Stripe Bowl, but was refused. It named its squad of 14 a week ago.

© Barbados Nation