– Sarwan to represent T&T Red Force

By Rajiv Bisnauth ( Guyana Times )
Barbadian all-rounder Raymond Reifer along with Guyanese opening batsman

Rajendra Chandrika, middle-order batsman Vishaul Singh and fast bowlers Keon Joseph and Paul Wintz completed the Guyana Franchise for the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League’s (PCL) Regional Four-Day and NAGICO Super50 Tournaments.
The five players were chosen at Monday’s inaugural Player Draft of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League, staged at Accra Beach Hotel in Barbados.
Reifer, the 23-year-old left-handed batsman, has represented the Combined Campuses and Colleges in 23 First-Class games and 10 List A games. He is also a useful left-arm medium-fast bowler with 31 First-class wickets.
The five players joined the 10 retrained players: West Indies players Devendra Bishoo, Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Leon Johnson, Veerasammy Permaul and Christopher Barnwell, West Indies A team fast bowler Ronsford Beaton and First-Class players Anthony Bramble, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Trevon Griffith.

Former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was among the

additional pool of 15 players provided by the local franchise for the player draft nominees, was picked by the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
Sarwan, the stylish right-hander, who has 15 centuries from 87 Tests, but has not played Test cricket since July 2011, is the only Guyanese who will represent another country.
Anthony Adams, Ricardo Adams, Robin Bacchus, Kevon Boodie, Royston Crandon, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Steven Jacobs, Raun Johnson, Amir Khan and Zaheer Mohamed were the additional pool of 15 players provided by the local franchise for the player draft nominees were not successful at the player draft.
Veteran West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who is a centrally contracted WICB player, is an automatic pick for Guyana Franchise.
Meanwhile, the Leeward Islands five picks are Anthony Martin, Gavin Tonge, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jacques Taylor and Lyndel Richardson.
Jamaica five picks are Andre McCarthy, Shacoya Thomas, Nikita Miller,

Brandon King and Brian Buchanan. Windward Islands Volcanoes five picks are: Mervin Mathew, Nelon Pascal, Lindon James, Dalton Polius and Romel Currency.

Barbados five picks are: Tino Best, Shai Hope, Kenroy Williams, Ryan Hinds and Roston Chase.
Trinidad and Tobago Red Force five picks are: Akeal Hosein, Ramnaresh Sarwn, Yannick Ottley, Jeremy Solozano and Bryan Charles.
Draft
A list of 102 players was part of the PCL Draft. The remaining players, who were not picked will be available for Pay-For-Play contracts at the discretion of the various franchises.
Each of the franchises has nominated 15 players and the WICB nominated an additional 12 players.
The Professional First Class Franchise System will be engaged in a professional cricket structure on a day-to-day basis, year round, under a Head Coach and

support staff.
All six franchises will be given US$45,000 per month to fund their operations, but will be required to raise revenue as well.
More so, under this new initiative, player will be categories into three levels, A, B and C with the first carrying a price tag of USD $2,500, the second USD $1,700 and third USD $1,250, based on the category the player may fall within.

While players now have the opportunity to become professional cricketers, and at the same time earn a lucrative pay cheque, there are also repercussions for delinquency and capriciousness.
Contracted players, who failed to comply with the contract specifics, face a suspension penalty up to one year.
To this end the players will have to maintain their fitness which will be tested by the WICB’s fitness scheme where players from across the six countries will continuously be under the scope to ensure physical requirements are met.
Further a non-contacted player is still eligible for selection to their respective franchise team. However, a contact does not guarantee that the player will play in all the games, since performances will be the key. The Regional four-day tournament bowls off next month.
Franchise make-up
Barbados Franchise: Carlos Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Kyle Corbin, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Ashley Nurse, Dwayne Smith, Kevin Stoute, Omar Phillips, Jomel Warrican; Tino Best, Shai Hope, Kenroy Williams, Ryan Hinds, Roston Chase.
Jamaica Franchise: Carlton Baugh Jr, Dave Bernard Jr, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Dawes, Damion Jacobs, Tamar Lambert, Nikita Miller; Andre McCarthy, Shacoya Thomas, Horace Miller, Brandon King, Brian Buchanan.

Leeward Islands Franchise: Quinton Boatswain, Jahmar Hamilton, Montcin Hodge, Yannick Leonard, Steve Liburd, Jeremiah Louis, Kieran Powell, Devon Thomas, Hayden Walsh, Kelbert Walters; Anthony Martin, Gavin Tonge, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jacques Taylor, Lyndel Richardson.
T&T Red Force: Adrian Barath, Rayad Emrit, Shannon Gabriel, Steven Katwaroo, Imran Khan, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Nicholas Pooran, Marlon Richards, Lendl Simmons; Akeal Hosein , Ramnaresh Sarwan, Yannick Ottley, Jeremy Solozano, Bryan Charles.
Windward Islands Volcanoes: Sunil Ambris, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Delorn Johnson, Keddy Lesporis, Kenroy Peters, Liam Sebastien, Shane Shillingford, Devon Smith, Tyrone Theophile; Mervin Mathew, Nelon Pascal, Lindon James, Dalton Polius, Romel Currency.