Gayle returns for SA tour

Antigua and Barbuda - West Indies named a full-strength squad to tackle South Africa on Wednesday but gave players a November 18 deadline to sign contracts after the last tour of India was abandoned over a pay dispute.

The 16-man Test squad will be skippered by Denesh Ramdinn and is due to play three Tests in December and January before three Twenty20 internationals and five one-dayers.

"All players selected have been notified of their selection and that their selection is contingent upon their signing of the match tour contract which was sent to each player selected on Tuesday, November 11," said a West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) statement.

"The deadline for the return of signed match your contracts to the WICB is Tuesday, November 18."

The West Indies team quit India four matches into a five-game one-day series in October after a pay dispute between players and the board, with a Twenty20 international and three Tests to play.

As a result The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are demanding $42 million in compensation and damages.

"Of course at all times the Selection Panel aims to select the best and strongest team available. We look forward to this squad giving a good account of themselves for the three Tests in South Africa," said West Indies chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd.

"There is a significant amount of international cricket to be played over the next six months, including Test matches against some of the higher ranked teams in world cricket and as such it would be critical for the squad to get off on a positive note in South Africa."

West Indies Test squad:

Denesh Ramdin (captain), Sulieman Benn, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Braithwaite, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Christopher Gayle, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton