Bacher confident despite prevailing impasse

Bacher arrived from South Africa yesterday for the emergency talks being held at a hotel near London’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 “extremely confident”.

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

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 they’ll hold out as long as it takes.

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

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

LARA PROVIDES RAY OF HOPE

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

“What has resulted so far is a bit unfortunate and I hope it can be resolved in the near future,” he said. “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).

“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 — as in this case — it is very unfortunate.”