WI players to boycott Bangladesh series

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Miami:West Indies players are to boycott the test series against Bangladesh due to start on Thursday, the Caribbean team's players' union said in a statement on Tuesday.

The West Indies Players Association (WIPA) said it had attempted to hold talks with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to resolve a number of issues but that no meeting had been held.

"The players have requested me as President of WIPA, the players' body, to inform the WICB, sponsors and the public that, regretfully, they cannot with immediate effect continue playing without any contracts with the WICB," said WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine in a statement.

A WICB spokesman said they would make a statement later on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear whether the board intended to try to find an alternative squad for the series which begins with the first test in St.Vincent on Thursday or if they will be forced to withdraw.

The union, which threatened strike action during England's tour of the Caribbean in March, said the West Indies players have played the last four series without a contract.

The union said it met with players on Saturday and discussed matters relating to payments and fees for the tour of England in May, the Twenty20 World Cup and the recent four-match ODI series against India in the Caribbean.

"The decision was taken that if the WICB did not meet with WIPA to resolve outstanding issues, the players would not make themselves available to participate in the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

We have written to the WICB to meet on Monday (July 6) and Tuesday (July 7), but unfortunately the WICB have not responded," the WIPA statement said.

Bangladesh are already in the Caribbean having played a warm-up game in Barbados against a West Indies A team.