Cable & Wireless late Thursday announced the conditional release of six West Indies cricketers from individual endorsement deals, a move that clears the way for a full-strength team to take the field in the second Test against South Africa. The latest twist does not affect the company's endorsement deal with Brian Lara, a contract that was blessed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Additionally, C&W made it clear the releases were being granted "until such time as [Caricom arbitrator] Justice Saunders completes his adjudication and delivers his rulings." The WICB has asked that Justice Saunders issue a binding ruling on the nature of the contracts between C&W and the seven players to determine whether the personal endorsement contracts were unquestionably in the nature of individual contracts. C&W said it was in full support of the WICB's arbitration proposal and said its decision to release the players from their obligations was a bid to "remove every obstacle to their immediate eligibility for selection to the West Indies team." "Should Justice Saunders confirm our position that the contracts are indeed in the nature of individual endorsements and do not infringe on the rights of the team sponsor, Cable & Wireless will immediately be available to work with all parties to establish acceptable ‘rules of engagement’,” said C&W senior VP Rachelle Franklin. In a letter to WICB president Teddy Griffith, C&W said it was also willing to adjust terms of the contracts if they are found to be problematic by Justice Saunders. "Moreover, if the adjudicator finds that the contracts are not in the nature of individual endorsements, Cable & Wireless will unconditionally release the players, if they so desire." Attorneys for Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle have publicly said the two batsmen will not consider any form of personal endorsements from either Cable & Wireless or Digicel for a period of six months. Reprinted from caribbeancricket.com