Contracts to be signed shortly, say BCCI

BANGALORE: The Cricket Board and the players on Monday appeared to have sorted out differences on the contracts issue with both saying that the contracts would be signed in the next few days.

"We had a fruitful discussion with the Board today. We are hopeful of signing it in the next few days," skipper Rahul Dravid said after talks with a BCCI committee on the issue.

At a press conference, Board Treasurer N Srinivasan, a member of the committee, played down players' opposition to some provisions in the contracts, saying 'there is no question of players' demand.'

"The Board and the players are not two entities. It is a private matter. It is purely an internal matter. We are very clear that the contracts would be finalised," he said.

Besides Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble were also part of the discussions with the BCCI Committee which comprised Srinivasan, Vice President Shashan Manohar and former board president IS Bindra.

The outcome of the parley is to be placed in front of the Working Committee which is to meet in Delhi on Tuesday.

The contracts, due from October 1 last year, could not be signed before the team went for the World Cup in early March and then the BCCI cracked the whip on players' endorsements by putting a cap on them.

The limit of three endorsements per player has been a bone of contention between the two parties while the proposed flat retainership fee of Rs five lakh for all players irrespective of their seniority has also sparked resentment.