St John’s, ANTIGUA – We acknowledge that the matter of player release fees is between full-member boards and should never be seen as an issue with players who wish to play in other jurisdictions. We at the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) recognize that the global cricket industry has changed and we would like to place the following on record:
- We would always like all eligible players to participate in our regional tournaments to ensure the highest quality of competition
- We are aware that over the last three years, the number of domestic Twenty20 leagues has increased and there are now eight, including our own Caribbean Premier League. This means that there are now year-round lucrative opportunities around the world for West Indian cricketers, competing with WI regional competitions and sometimes even with WI international cricket. At present, there are 18 players in seven leagues.
- Unlike some of the other ICC Full Members, WICB is not able to match the level of contracts that players can earn playing outside of the West Indies, while maintaining the levels of investment necessary to ensure and nurture future generations of West Indian cricketers and the sustainability of West Indies cricket
- We have an agreement with two Full-Member boards – the BCCI and the BCB – for player-release fees
- The release fees form part of an overall contribution to the continued development of:
- The six franchises and clubs represented
- High Performance programme
- Training and development of technical officials
- Women’s cricket
- A-Team tours
- A comprehensive under-19 programme
and are split between WICB, the Territorial Board and the club within the territory with which the player is registered
- WICB is seeking to encourage other ICC Full Members to recognise the impact that players leaving the West Indies to play in domestic T20 leagues has on West Indies cricket and to work with WICB in finding a solution to the challenge of securing the best cricketing talent with the limited resources available.
- WICB has made numerous appeals to the individual member boards, We will continue to have these discussions with the full member boards to resolve as soon as possible. We would like them to follow the precedent already set.
- The WICB will continue on its quest to develop its player to help our teams maintain top positions in each format of the game. We need the best mix of financial and human resources at all levels to achieve those goals.