West Indies Cricket Board chief executive Steve Camacho said the players' response was ``most heartening and favourable.''

Camacho said: ``Most of our top players now play professionally in England and South Africa when they are not playing international cricket for the West Indies. These contracts would ensure they remain at home to help raise the standard of club cricket and to coach.''

The contracts are estimated to be worth between #10,000 and #40,000, depending on experience and status of the player.

Gloucestershire's chief executive, Philip August, insisted yesterday that West Indies captain Courtney Walsh will return to England next year to start a two-year contract with the county.

``I spoke to Courtney on Monday and have also had discussions with officials at the West Indies Board,'' said August. ``Nobody will be forced to sign the contract and if some players decide to return to county cricket they will certainly not be penalised by the West Indies authorities.''

Walsh has not yet signed his two-year Gloucestershire offer, but the two parties have shaken on the deal.

All-rounder Carl Hooper is another player committed to returning to his county, Kent, next season. Hooper is in the middle of a two-year contract at Canterbury.

* All-rounder Justin Vaughan was yesterday named to replace injured medium-pacer Chris Pringle in the New Zealand cricket team to visit Sharjah and Pakistan next month.

Pringle, who fought his way back into the New Zealand squad after a strong domestic season, will need surgery on bone spurs on an ankle joint.

Australia today began their first Test match in India for 10 years in a one-off encounter at the Ferozshah Kotla. Steve Waugh is the sole Australian survivor from the last series in India in which neither side won a Test.