Guyana Jaguars will need only two players to complete the 15-man contracted players ahead of Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) professional players’ draft tomorrow.
According to a release from CWI, the draft comes ahead of the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup and West Indies Four-Day Championship 2020-2021.
The release stated that only two rounds will be conducted since 13 players were already pre-selected based on the CWI draft structure.
Jaguars will have the fourth pick in the player pool based on finishing third at the conclusion of the previous Four-Day Championship. As such, last placed Leeward Hurricanes will get first pick followed by Windward Volcanoes and Jamaica Scorpions. Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will have the fifth pick while tournament winners, Barbados Pride will have the last pick.
Jaguars have selected three newbies in Nial Smith, Kevin Sinclair and Akshaya Persaud. Smith, 24, had a breakout season in the Four-Day Championships, finishing as the team’s best seamer with 20 wickets including a best of six for 55 on debut.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old off-spinning all-rounder, Sinclair, turned out for Super50 champions, West Indies Emerging Players where he finished as the most economical bowler. He then transitioned into the Jaguars Four-Day side picking up 12 wickets and scoring 130 runs.
Like Sinclair, 22-year-old Persaud had an impressive run in the Super50 playing for Combined Campuses and Colleges. He scored two half-centuries while picking up four wickets with his left-arm orthodox bowling.
Also, Barbadian all-rounder Raymon Reifer who is part of the West Indies Test side currently in England is the protected overseas player.
Missing so far from the list are out-of-favour West Indies leg-spinner, Devendra Bishoo, fast bowling all-rounder, Clinton Pestano and Jamaican off-spinner, Ramaal Lewis, all of whom are in the player pool alongside Guyanese, Antony Adams, Ricardo Adams, Ronaldo Alimohamed, Kevlon Anderson, Jonathan Foo, Trevon Griffith, Tevin Imlach, Richie Looknauth, Ashmead Nedd, Raymond Perez, Kemol Savory and Kelvin Umroa.
Bhaskar Yadram who turned out for Volcanoes and Assad Fudadin who played for Scorpions are also in the pool.
According to sources, Romario Shepherd has joined Keemo Paul and Shimron Hetmyer with CWI retainer contracts.
