MUMBAI, India, CMC – Rookie West Indies players Kieron Pollard and Kemar Roach were among those slapped with expensive price tags at the Indian Premier League auction yesterday.

The 22-year-old Pollard attracted the maximum bid of US$750 000 while Roach, 21, was sold for $720 000.

While Pollard will turn out for the Mumbai Indians, Roach will play in the colours of Deccan Chargers in the tournament set to bowl off March 12.

Roach, a right-arm fast bowler, shot on to the international scene last year with his Test debut against Bangladesh but became prominent on the IPL radar with his searing pace in the Test series against Australia last month.

“It is great for the player and he has a big future ahead of him,” said Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner.

“He is 100 per cent available and that could have been a big factor [in his sale]. They [Deccan] needed a fast bowler and he met their requirement.” Roach was pursued aggressively by Deccan Chargers, fighting off competition from Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab. The purchase left their kitty virtually empty and they were unable to bid anymore.

Mumbai also moved aggressively for Pollard as they looked to secure the services of the robust right-hander who shone in the Champions League last October with high octane performances.  The bidding resulted in a four-way tie between Mumbai, Chennai, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders before Mumbai outbid their rivals in a silent tie-breaker. Pollard, currently campaigning in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash, will now join fellow Trinidadian Dwayne Bravo at the Mumbai franchise.

Five other West Indies players involved in the auction were not as fortunate, however, as they were not sold. Suleiman Benn, Wavell Hinds, Lendl Simmons Daren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan, all with base prices of $100 000, failed to attract attention.New Zealand’s Shane Bond joined Pollard in fetching the maximum bid of $750 000.