– Gayle asks for extension
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies vice-captain Dwayne Bravo is one of two players who have turned down central retainer contracts from the West Indies Cricket Board.
CMC Sports understands that the 26-year-old Bravo has joined fellow Trinidadian Kieron Pollard in not signing the contracts by the September 10 deadline as stipulated by the WICB, the region’s governing body for the game.
Captain Chris Gayle also failed to sign the contract by the deadline but wrote the WICB asking for an extension which was granted.
However, the other 22 players offered contracts have all signed, paving the way for the cream of West Indies players to be available for international duty.
Bravo’s decision will be a disappointment, however, as he remains the region’s marquee all-rounder. He has played 37 Tests and 107 One-Day Internationals and is widely seen as a future captain having already acted in the role on a few occasions.
The 23-year-old Pollard, a Twenty20 freelance specialist, is yet to play a Test and has struggled in ODIs with an average of just under 20 and in T20s, where he averages 12. He has, however, excelled in domestic T20 leagues across the world campaigning for English County Somerset, South Australia in the Australian Big Bash and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
It is believed that both Bravo and Pollard will take their chances at becoming freelance cricketers, and shopping their skills around.
WICB corporate communications officer, Imran Khan told CMC Sports the Board would make an announcement shortly on the players to replace Bravo and Pollard.
The announcement of the retainer contracts list sparked a firestorm earlier this month after former Windies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan was dumped, along with speedster Jerome Taylor and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.
They were three of six players not offered contracts, with Narsingh Deonarine, Travis Dowlin and Dave Bernard Jr also overlooked.
Stylish left-hander Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo’s younger brother, along with 20-year-old opener Adrian Barath and off-spinner Shane Shillingford were given contracts for the first time.
