WIndies board says A team Zimbabwe tour still on

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, June 22 (Reuters) The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said it will go-ahead with a planned 'A' team tour of Zimbabwe, despite pleas from the players' union to call off the trip.

Tony Deyal, head of communications at the WICB, said they had no reason to abandon the tour, which runs from June 30-July 26.

West Indies Players Association (WIPA) President Dinanath Ramnarine said last week players were uncomfortable with the security situation in the troubled African nation.

''We will have to proceed unless the West Indies Players' Association provides us with overwhelming reasons why we shouldn't,'' Deyal said yesterday.

''The door is still open on this tour, but we have been asking WIPA to show us what cogent evidence they have to make them come to the decision that the tour should not go ahead.

''We have been given every assurance from the Zimbabwean authorities.'' The team is due to be unveiled today, with middle-order batsman Sylvester Joseph, who was member of the Test team in the recent series against England, as captain.

Last week, Ramnarine said he had informed the board that the players could not agree to the tour because of safety concerns.

''While we at WIPA acknowledge the importance of the development of cricket, we are, nevertheless, firmly of the view that the safety of players in an unsettled environment is of paramount importance,'' he said.

REUTERS PDS BST0540