Bacher confident despite prevailing impasse

LONDON, NOV 7: South African and Caribbean officials were expected to begin hard bargaining today with West Indian cricketers over a pay dis...

LONDON, NOV 7: South African and Caribbean officials were expected to begin hard bargaining today with West Indian cricketers over a pay dispute threatening a historic tour of the Republic.

Informal talks yesterday broke off with no indication of progress. Ali Bacher, the head of South African cricket, maintained the key could be a letter from South African President Nelson Mandela urging compromise.

Bacher arrived from South Africa yesterday for the emergency talks being held at a hotel near London8217;s Heathrow Airport accompanied by Clive Lloyd, manager of the the West Indies touring squad, and West Indies Cricket Board WICB member Joel Garner.

Bacher said it might take until Sunday to resolve the deadlock, which sees the players battling the WICB over pay for the tour and reported security concerns. Asked on BBC radio if the first Test of the series would start as planned in Johannesburg on November 26, Bacher said he was 8220;extremely confident8221;.

8220;It goes beyond bat and ball. It will helpenormously towards the reconciliation process in South Africa and will inspire the youth of the country.8221;

The WICB on Wednesday fired captain Brian Lara and vice-captain Carl Hooper after they refused to travel to South Africa.

Reported solutions include more prize money, increased meal money, and the reinstatement of Lara and Hooper to the squad. There are also suggestions Courtney Walsh would be named captain with players saying off the record they8217;ll hold out as long as it takes.

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The WICB said it would fine the no-show players between five and ten per cent of their tour fees, which could be as much as 60,000 for Lara. Lara and Hooper have wide player support. Only seven of the 16 members of the squad travelled to South Africa, and all returned yesterday to London to rally around the two.

SUPPORT FOR LARA amp; CO: On Friday, Barbadian legislator Clyde Mascoll joined calls for the WICB to be fired. 8220;The members of the board should be fired,8221; he declared. 8220;This is not simply a matter ofcricket and the Board cannot be allowed to treat the players in such a manner.8221;

In Port-of-Spain, the Trinidadian capital, Lara8217;s fans set up a massive blackboard in the heart of the city at Woodford Square and dozens signed it to show 8220;100 per cent support for Lara and his men.8221;

LARA PROVIDES RAY OF HOPE

Lara, rated the world8217;s best batsman, hinted on Thursday the tour might go on if a compromise can be reached.

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8220;What has resulted so far is a bit unfortunate and I hope it can be resolved in the near future,8221; he said. 8220;The main thing is that the West Indies tour to South Africa should be on. The people want the tour to be on and hopefully something positive will come out of it in the meeting.

8220;I am not a member of the West Indies cricket team at the moment, but I would love to be there. My life is playing cricket. When it is possible you could be there and you are not there because of circumstances 8212; as in this case 8212; it is very unfortunate.8221;