West Indies resolve dispute

Cricket Australia's worst fears regarding this summer's international program against the West Indies have been allayed after the Caribbean nations' board and players agreed to end their contract standoff on Tuesday.

Bangladesh convincingly beat the West Indies in both the Test and one-day arenas in the Caribbean recently, although the hosts were without the likes of captain Chris Gayle and fellow star batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

That led to concerns that the squad selected for the Australian summer would also be without its biggest names.

But three days of negotiations between West Indies Cricket Board president Julian Hunte and West Indies Players' Association chief executive Dinanath Ramnarine eventually finished with the parties releasing a statement saying 'all outstanding matters in dispute between the two bodies have been settled'.

"Both parties are pleased that the agreement reached creates an environment to engage in building a genuine partnership that can ensure the long-term development and progress of West Indies cricket," the statement said.

Abitration will still be required to sort out differences between the parties in relation to payments from the West Indies' one-day tour of India earlier this year and also team rights but they have also agreed to immediately start negotiating a memorandum of understanding that they hope to finalise by year's end.

Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland said he was pleased the dispute had been resolved, clearing the way for the West Indies to send its best team to Australia for the 2009-10 summer season of international cricket.

"We are seeking confirmation but the early reports we are seeing reflect the encouraging private noises we have been hearing from West Indies cricket in recent weeks," he said.

"Test cricket is about the best versus the best and we are looking forward to an exciting summer against the West Indies and also the talented Pakistan team."

The West Indies begin their tour of Australia with a three-day tour match against Queensland at Allan Border Field on November 18, eight days before the start of a three-Test series, and the tourists will then also play five one-day and two Twenty20 internationals in February.