Fourteen West Indies Cricketers Offered Retainer Contracts
September 1, 2010
CaribWorldNews, ST. JOHN`S, Antigua, Weds. Sept. 1, 2010: Fourteen West Indies cricketers have been offered Central Retainer Contracts for the period October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011.The West Indies Cricket Board said it made the offer on Friday August 27 to the 14, including Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Sulieman Benn, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith and Ravi Rampaul. Big hitting Pollard, who has performed exceedingly well in the shortest form of the game, has been offered a Central Retainer Contract for the first time. Also making their debut on the list of Central Retainer Contracts is the Trinidadian pair of Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo, Dominican off-spinner Shane Shillingford, Jamaican left arm spinner Nikita Miller and Grenadian pacer Nelon Pascal.Barath, Bravo, Miller and Pascal have been moved up to Central Retainer Contract offers from Developmental Contracts for the past year.Devon Smith, the Grenadian opener, who performed well for the West Indies A Team, has also been offered a Central Retainer Contract after holding a Developmental Contract for the year October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010.The players have been given until September 10 to peruse the offers and indicate to the WICB whether they will accept. The WICB has also indicated that should, by that date, any player not convey a decision to the WICB or indicate that they would prefer not to take up the offer the WICB will make alternative offers.Of the 14 players who are on Central Retainer Contracts for the period October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010, six Ramnaresh Sarwan, Denesh Ramdin, Jerome Taylor, Narsingh Deonarine, Dave Bernard and Travis Dowlin have slipped off the list of those offered Central Retainer Contracts for the upcoming year.Bernard has been offered a Developmental Contract while Sarwan and Taylor`s limited availability for the West Indies over the past year due to injuries weighed heavily against them. Sarwan and Deonarine`s general levels of fitness were also deemed unsatisfactory.Ramdin and Dowlin`s performances over the past year have been less than favorable in the view of the Selection Committee and they were not recommended for Central Retainer or Developmental contracts, a WICB statement said.The WICB reiterates that being on Central Retainer or Development contracts is not a pre-requisite for being selected to represent the West Indies.
