(Cricinfo) Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner, who helped West Indies secure the fifth-highest successful chase in Test history in Chattogram in February earlier this year and then were also impressive during the home Test series against Sri Lanka, have been rewarded with their maiden red-ball central contracts, for 2021-22. Wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva, who had narrowly missed a hundred in the Dhaka Test, also got his first red-ball deal.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein won a white-ball contract for the first time. Hosein, who picked up three wickets on his ODI debut in Bangladesh, was impressive against Sri Lanka as well.
Roston Chase, who had an all-format contract last year, was dropped altogether from the list this time. That means former captain Jason Holder is the only one with an all-format deal.
Shimron Hetmyer, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas and Keemo Paul were among those who failed to keep their white-ball contracts.
Chase, Hetmyer, Cottrell and Thomas had missed the white-ball fixtures against Sri Lanka at home after failing to reach the minimum fitness standards set by CWI. Later, Chase and Hetmyer cleared the fitness tests but were not picked for the Tests against Sri Lanka.
Shane Dowrich and Shamarh Brooks – both played their last Test in 2020 – lost their contracts.
“I am happy for all the players who have been offered retainer contracts for the upcoming period,” Jimmy Adams, CWI director of cricket, said in a statement. “Especially pleasing was the number of players who were awarded first-time contracts in recognition of their performances during the period under review. I know that the 11 players who have lost their International retainers will be striving and fighting hard to get back into the teams and earn their central contracts back next year.
“These players, along with our T20 specialists, will ensure that we have genuine competition for places that will push everyone to attain higher standards of performance.”
Despite being dropped for the white-ball series at home against Sri Lanka following mediocre returns in the Super50 Cup (seven wickets in six matches at an economy of nearly 7), Hayden Walsh Jr retained his white-ball deal.
West Indies central contracts list
All-format contracts: Jason Holder
Red-ball contracts: Kraigg Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kyle Mayers and Kemar Roach
White-ball contracts: Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Alzarri Joseph, Nicholas Pooran and Hayden Walsh Jr.
