ST JOHN’S Antigua, CMC – World record holder Deandra Dottin and the highly rated Stafanie Taylor were among six women’s players awarded central retainer contracts by the West Indies Cricket Board yesterday.
The move represents the first time women’s players have been centrally contracted by the WICB.
Dottin, who scored the first ever century in T20s earlier this yea,r and Taylor, who lies fourth in the ICC One-Day International rankings, have been joined by team captain Merissa Aguilleira, off-spinner Anisa Mohammed and all-rounders Stacy Ann King and Shanel Daley.
“The Board of Directors took a decision that the WICB must commit to ensuring that our women players have a level of personal security which will assist as they continue their climb to the top of world cricket,” said WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire.
“The granting of these six retainer contracts represents a start and we are hoping to expand the programme in coming years.
“This is a tangible commitment to the players that the WICB is very serious about women’s cricket and its development in the region.”
Dottin and Taylor have been awarded ‘A’ grade contracts while the other players have been given ‘B’ grade contracts. The WICB has not disclosed the value of the contracts.
The WICB’s decision comes just weeks before the women’s team head off to India for a tour comprising five ODIs and three T20s, which runs from January 8-24.
It also comes on the heels of the ICC Challenge last October in South Africa where West Indies won the T20 title, and Hilaire said the WICB would continue to keep the women’s schedule a busy one.
“We have re-activated the women’s cricket programme in a serious way and we have been working steadily to ensure that our women’s team play more cricket on international tours,” Hilaire said.
“The players have repaid the investment of the WICB thus far by showing that they are determined and committed to realising their goal of making the West Indies Women’s team the best in the world.”
He added: “This is an exciting period of revitalization of women’s cricket and we see the awarding of central retainer contracts to these six outstanding players as another positive step in the development of West Indies women’s cricket.”
The WICB now has a total of 44 players on contract following the awarding of 15 men’s central retainer contracts, eight developmental contracts and 15 High Performance Centre contracts.
