WIPA slams Sarwan’s contract exclusion

Regional players’ union, West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) has condemned Ramnaresh Sarwan’s exclusion from the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB), list of contract players and has questioned the board's reasoning behind the decision.



The WICB said it had cut Sarwan because of concerns about his attitude to fitness.



However, a release from WIPA says Sarwan's recent injuries had occurred while playing for West Indies and that he had shown initiative in trying to recover quickly, following all directions issued by the board.



WIPA says Sarwan had been informed by the WICB chief executive, Ernest Hilaire, of the board's concerns about his attitude to fitness following a report on the team’s tour of Australia in November 2009.



The release further says neither the players' association nor Sarwan, however, had seen the report.



According to the WIPA, in a letter dated January 11, the board said it was not highlighting specific incidents illustrating its concerns about Sarwan but only wanted to sensitise him to the problem.



In its reply to the WICB, the players' association had asked for specific instances when Sarwan did not meet the standards demanded, and wanted the batsman to be given an opportunity to state his case. WIPA says it is yet to receive a reply from the board.



WIPA also says there had been no complaints from the team management about Sarwan's attitude or his commitment to training in the past and during the series against Australia and South Africa.