By Neto Baptiste
Players contracted by regional franchises during the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League (PCL) later this year, could face financial sanctions should they fail to live up to their contractual responsibilities.
This is according to Cricket Operations Manager with the Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB), Vernon Springer, who said the new contracts are designed to ensure that players give of their best at all times with fitness being a major factor.
“Once the official contracts are signed by the players for the new year, there is going to be accountability, meaning the fitness test. So there are going to be standards that are going to be set and if you don’t meet the standards, by the time they come around to have their fitness regimen. then they are going to be deducting from your salary,” he said.
According to Springer, the regional governing body is now responsible for setting the perimeters through which players are graded, which would determine the level contract issued to the protected franchise players.
“The Leeward Islands Cricket Development Company, we were the ones who set the parameter in terms of the contracts before. So you would have had A, B, C and so we would have sat down with the selection panel and we would have taken a grade and a ratio or guide from Cricket West Indies and said, okay, if you’re averaging anything between 38 and 45, then you’re entitled to an A contract,” he said.
“This is going to change now and Cricket West Indies is going to grade the players. So the 15 contracted players that the Leeward Islands Hurricanes have, they [CWI] are going to send us a grading system and that’s what it is going to be,” Springer added.
The Leeward Islands Hurricanes, in April, finalised their squad for the 2019/20 professional season. The protested players are Kieran Powell, Montcin Hodge, Devon Thomas, Jahmar Hamilton, Rahkeem Cornwall, Keacy Carty, Jeremiah Louis, Sheno Berridge, Damion Jacobs (Jamaica) and Quinton Boatswain.
Drafted were Nino Henry,Amir Jangoo (Trinidad & Tobago), Jaison Peters, Adelvin Phillip and Terence Warde.