The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is refusing to budge on a requirement that players agree to contracts ahead of a pre-tour camp later this month even as the players' union has instructed the 25 players not to sign the invitation contracts. The board said it was disappointed at the instruction issued by WIPA to its members and sharply disputed claims made by association president Dinanath Ramnarine that WIPA was not consulted on the contracts. "A copy of the Match/Tour Contract a copy was provided to WIPA previously on October 7 for comments by October 31," the WICB said in a statement issued late Tuesday. "Despite requests on four separate occasions with reminders of the need to provide the players with the terms and conditions well in advance of the VB triangular One-Day tournament in Australia scheduled for early January, WIPA did not submit any comments on that contract to the WICB at the time of issue of the letters of invitation on 5 November," it added. The WICB said it "therefore carried out its responsibility" to have a team prepared to leave the region on December 29 by making the invited players aware of the terms and conditions applicable to the tour. The players were informed that the Match/Tour contracts had been submitted to WIPA on October 7 and that at the time of despatch, there had been no response from WIPA. That assertion conflicts with Ramnarine's statement that the WICB bypassed the association and sent the invitations to the 25 players directly instead of going through the union, which is the recognized body for establishing the terms and conditions of engagement of West Indies players. The Board is holding firm to its position that the invited players will indicate their availability within the deadline given of 10 days after receipt of the invitation. The camp is due to begin on 29 November in Barbados. SOURCE: CARIBBEANCRICKET.COM