WICB to discuss T20 leagues and home series clashes with contracted players

Michael Muirhead, the West Indies Cricket Board CEO, said the board plans to meet with the contracted

players in August to discuss next year’s international home season clashes with Twenty20 leagues.

Richard Pybus, the Director of cricket, in his 19-point plan to revamp West Indies cricket in 2014 stated that the WICB has opened up the Indian Premier League (IPL) months for the players to play and this point was reiterated by Dave Cameron, the WICB president, two months ago.

“We have given up the two best months of our year for cricket – April and May. We are not playing any cricket because we have allowed them to come over to India and play in the IPL,” stated Cameron in April.

However, the board is set to go against its policy for the second time in three years. The last time it happened was for last year’s home Test series against England.

Also, after recently announcing contracted players will get to play some part of this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after initially preventing them due to clashes with the India Test tour, this delicate issue will be repeated next year when India visits again next for 5 ODIs and a T20I.

“It’s early days, but we are very much cognizant of these clashes next year,” stated Muirhead. “Following the last ICC meeting they are looking at ways to bring more context to international cricket and how they deal with T20 leagues. We have no intention to bully anybody even though of course our West Indies first policy will still be in place.

“However, we hope to meet with contracted players in August after the CPL looking ahead to next year, so that we can find the best solutions and compromise in the best interest of West Indies cricket.”

Since the inception of IPL in 2008, it has clashed with the prime months of West Indies’ home international season, thus affecting the domestic season more than any Test-playing nation’s, with the best players inevitably going to participate in the IPL.

The board’s history of intransigent policies with the players has not helped, which has seen many of the senior players like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons and Samuel Badree declining or not being offered national contracts.

Whether the WICB can come to a compromise with players will be an intriguing viewing, considering that two significant players in Carlos Brathwaite and captain Jason Holder are going to be wanted by their respective IPL and CPL teams Delhi Daredevils, St.Kitts and Nevis Patriots and Kolkata Knight Riders, Barbados Trident respectively. (Cricbuzz)