(WICB) ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies announced today it has enhanced its central retainer contract system for men’s players. The new arrangement brings the CWI central retainer contract system more in line with the different formats of the sport, splitting the senior international men’s players into three groups – all-format contracts, red-ball contracts and white-ball contracts.

“The new retainer contracts aim to incentivise our players to play cricket for the WINDIES and be contracted to CWI,” said Chief Executive Officer of CWI, Johnny Grave. “All the new contracts offer increased remuneration to our WINDIES Men’s team as well as enhanced medical and insurance policies.”

Grave noted that the process of selecting players was completed back in July, ahead of the domestic contracts being issued to the 90 regional professional cricketers on 1st August.

Whilst the new WINDIES Men’s contracts will officially run from October 2017 to September 2018, Grave confirmed that new retainers would be offered to the WINDIES Men’s team and regional players on 1st July 2018, so that all professional cricketers start new contracts on the same date.  He added that these enhanced contracts illustrate how CWI has made significant progress and is able to support and add new incentives to our international players.

“These new contracts will embrace additional terms and conditions which will set out the responsibilities of both player and CWI to each other, together with ensuring that the players are contractually bound to new and existing policies that aim to further increase standards.  All future contracts for all of our professional cricketers will start on the same date, July 1st, which will become the start of our cricketing year.”

Under the new arrangement, the CWI Selection Panel will be able to award up to 11 all format contracts and up to an aggregate of 11 red and white ball contracts to a maximum 18 contracts in total (not including development).

Up to four new development contracts can also be offered to players in both red and white ball categories for those who are yet to fully establish themselves in the starting XIs and, therefore, not secured a full retainer contract, but are likely to be selected in the year ahead.

LIST OF RETAINED PLAYERS:

All-Format Contracts: Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri

Joseph, Devendra Bishoo

Red-Ball Contracts: Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Jermaine

Blackwood, Miguel Cummins, Jomel Warrican, Shimron Hetmyer*, Kieran Powell*,

Vishaul Singh*

White-Ball Contracts: Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Jason Mohammed, Evin

Lewis, Rovman Powell, Kesrick Williams*

*  denotes development contracts