Sport

Chappell slams WIPA, Windies Board

West Indies captain Shiv Chanderpaul - file

kandy, sri lanka, cmc

IAN CHAPPELL, THE former Australian captain, has blasted the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for their inability to resolve the recent contracts dispute that led to a second-string team contesting the two-Test series in Sri Lanka.

"It's ridiculous that the West Indies Board and the players' association ,two bodies that you would think would have the best interest of West Indies cricket at heart that they can't get together and get the best West Indies side here," Chappell said on the heels of West Indies' 240-run loss in the second Test on Monday. "It's not fair on the Sri Lankan team, it's not fair on the Sri Lankan public, it's not fair on the television companies that are showing it (the series)." Chappell, who scored 5,345 runs in 75 Tests for Australia between 1964 and 1980, said that if WIPA and the WICB could not solve the issues, the persons leading the negotiations ought to resign.

"I would have thought by now if the two heads of those bodies can't get together and get something sorted out then they've got to sack both of those guys and get two new guys in there to get it sorted out because it has got to be sorted out," Chappell argued.

Chappell has warned that Australia will not accept the current second string squad on the tour there later this year. "I'll guarantee you that Australia won't accept that squad to come down there and play Test matches so it's got to be sorted out before then anyhow," Chappell said.