New first-class season will improve Windies, says WICB president

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President Dave Cameron says he expects the new franchise-based first-class season to significantly improve the fortunes of the senior West Indies team.

The season, which is scheduled to bowl off in November, will see franchises replacing the traditional territorial sides in a new professional set-up.

"I am very, very excited. What I would like to do is get the players to work as soon as possible, so the tournament can be very, very good," Cameron said here Thursday.

"This year we're going have 10 [rounds]. I am confident that the quality of the play will be much better, and my estimation is that in two to three years we will be beating the best teams in the world."

Cameron was speaking just moments after the WICB and players' union, WIPA, signed a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding which will govern the season.

The new first-class structure will see six franchises contracting 15 players each, and contesting 10 rounds of matches. Along with the 15 players already contracted at the West Indies level, it means that 105 players will be engaged professionally.

"What we are setting up is for professionals to be on retainers for the next 20 years. The Under-19 players would be coming through, representing the franchises, going on to play for the West Indies for the next 10, 15 years and then going back to finish up with the franchises," Cameron explained.

"I need to make the point [that] just because you are not retained by a franchise does not mean you would not be able to play regional cricket. It just means you will play on a pay-as-you-play contract, and then, as you get better, franchises will potentially want to engage you."

Director of cricket, Richard Pybus also praised the initiative.