Lara wants to play tri-series; urges WICB, WIPA to sort differences

Bridgetown, Barbados, Aug 6 (UNI) Expressing his desire to play in the tri-series against India and Australia, West Indies captain Brian Lara urged the country's cricket board and the players' association to sort out their differences at the earliest to ensure the team's participation in the tournament.

''I want to play cricket so as I said, there is some sort of work to be done to finalise things and I'm sure they (WIPA and WICB) are going to get it done as soon as possible,'' Lara told CMC Sports here.

The West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players' Association have been at loogerheads over the issue of cricketers' pay-hike and retainer contracts. The recent talks to sort out the matter between the WIPA President Dinanath Ramnarine and the WICB broke down forcing the board to send direct invites to the players asking for their approval to participate in the tri-series scheduled for this September.

The players have been given until August 10 to accept the board invitation, failing which replacements would be chosen.

Lara said he was not aware of the entire situation and was not in a position to take an independent stand on the matter. The star batsman pleaded with his board and WIPA to keep negotiating and arrive on a consensus at the earliest.

''I don't know all the facts so it's impossible for me to tell you a position and I'm not someone to take an independent position and I think a rationale must come out of it.

''Hopefully WIPA who represents the players and the West Indies Cricket Board, our father figure, can come together, not just on this issue, but on issues in the future. I think there needs to be more harmony between the two groups,'' Lara said.

The Windies skipper said he saw an important role for himself in the ongoing conflict and would do his best to make sure that a solution which is acceptable to both sides is reached as soon as possible.

''As captain of the West Indies Cricket team, it's a situation where I have to play a very important part. I think both parties have to come together under one roof. Being a part, we are the players, we are the employees and the West Indies Cricket Board are the employers and we have to come together and work and we have to work from the bottom right up to the top, but there must be some harmony between both,'' Lara felt.

Lara said the early resolution of the matter was important for the growth of West Indies cricket, which has been adversely affected by the ongoing dispute.

''For West Indies cricket to move forward, everybody has to be under one roof. Everybody has got to be moving forward in one direction and be happy with each other,'' he said.

Speaking about the tri-series, which is to be played in Singapore and Malaysia, Lara said he considers it an opportunity to prepare for the Champions Trophy in October-November.

''What I like about it is that it will be perfect preparation for the ICC tournament, playing against teams like Australia and India in that tri-nations definitely will get us prepared for defending our trophy that we won couple years ago at the Oval,'' the 37-year-old said.

''The guys are looking forward to it and it will be excellent preparation,'' he added.

UNI XC PM YA BST1724