Last over in Dubai today, bowling from the ICC end

BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah today repeated his lines of Thursday: ‘‘We are in a precarious position where neither our players nor the ICC is willing to sympathise with us’’. Speaking to The Indian Express from Dubai, he said: ‘‘Let’s face it, we will have to send our B-team for the Champions Trophy, though we can never be very excited by that thought. But we seem to have run out of options now.”

ICC sources also said it appeared too late for things to change. ‘‘There is little we can do to help India at this stage because the agreement has been signed already. We can discuss their problems and see their offer … maybe we can ponder minor concessions but there would be nothing as far as the players playing without signing the contracts’’, said an official.

With a crisis as intervened as this the final outcome tomorrow will be eagerly awaited.

So far, the Indian players have done enough to suggest they will not go along the ICC lines. But there is the other view too: If Sachin Tendulkar or Saurav Ganguly don’t play in the Champions Trophy, what guarantee the ICC will amend its contracts for the World Cup?

Then there is the added fear of some juniors losing out on their places because of a peeved and irritated Dalmiya. If Friday night can bring about any cracks in their unity, this factor will have weighed the greatest on their minds.

Meanwhile, it has reliably been learnt that after Dalmiya expressed his reluctance in dealing with the players’ spokesman Ravi Shastri, Ganguly has taken upon himself the task of being his team’s communicating channel. “No player wants a confrontation with the BCCI. We are more interested in ending the stalemate and if they can find a way out which suits all, we will happily do the needful,” said an Indian player from Derbyshire.