A resolution to the sponsorship row threatening next month's multi-million dollar match between a Stanford Super Stars XI and England is looking more likely after arbitration talks continued on Monday.
The West Indies Cricket Board and its major sponsor Digicel have been holding discussions since last Friday as they seek to put an end to a dispute that has been raging for the past few months.
Because of the high sums of money and television exposure at play an agreement to ensure the game will go ahead has always been the most likely scenario, and it now appears that a deal could be done within the next 24 hours.
Such a scenario would avoid the dispute going before the High Court in London, where Digicel lodged its case in August after feeling aggrieved at being overlooked as sponsor for the match to take place at the Stanford Cricket Ground in Antigua on November 1.
The root of the dispute is Digicel's claim it has branding rights for the game under the terms of the sponsorship contract with the WICB, which they extended until 2012 in July.
Digicel's stance has caused issue with the match organisers, Stanford 20/20, who would rather find its own sponsors for the match.
Stanford 20/20, which is not a part of the arbitration process, claims that because the match is not an official West Indies fixture then Digicel's deal with the WICB does not apply, freeing it up to find its own sponsors.
Despite that, last month both parties attempted to find a resolution, without success, forcing the current arbitration to take place.
Relations between Digicel and the Stanford 20/20 organisers soured to such an extent last month that there were very real fears that the match would have to be abandoned.
Both parties aired their grievances with each other in a volley of press statements to the media after weeks of talks reached a stalemate.
After Digicel rejected a compromise plan put forward by Stanford 20/20 they released a statement claiming the organisers had refused to enter into further negotiations.
"Digicel, having had its own three-point compromise solution flatly rejected by Stanford, sought [together with the WICB] to meet with Stanford representatives to further advance discussions in the matter notwithstanding Stanford's firm rejection of Digicel's compromise proposal," the statement read.
"Regrettably, Stanford flatly refused to meet with all parties and stated categorically that it refused to engage in any negotiation process involving the WICB. Digicel has urged Stanford to reconsider its position in this regard."
Stanford responded to that release with a pointed statement of its own outlining the belief that the dispute was an 'unwanted distraction' and that the game would go ahead.
"Stanford 20/20 is disappointed, though not surprised by Digicel's latest press release of September 21st 2008 relating to its dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board [WICB] arising from the Stanford Super Series," the Stanford 20/20 statement read.
"Whilst Stanford 20/20 is frustrated by Digicel's behaviour, it is nothing more than an unwelcome distraction and Stanford 20/20 will not be derailed from moving ahead with preparations for a successful Stanford Super Series."