WICB promises Pro League next year
January 15th 2009

“We have to become a more dynamic organisation and play a lot more competitive cricket.”
Dr. Donald Peters - WICB CEO

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will start a professional regional cricket league with international players during the 2010 season. This was revealed by Dr Donald Peters, CEO of the WICB at a press conference yesterday at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Peters said that the move was in response to the lack of regional players playing professionally abroad.

“We want to replace the absence of opportunities that our players had when they played in counties in England. We have realised that since those opportunities have dried up, our performances have gone down,” Dr Peters said.

“We recognise that in order to improve in the standings, one of the things to do is improve the competition. We have to become a more dynamic organisation and play a lot more competitive cricket.”

Peters said that with the sponsorship of foreign corporations, first-class players will now be able to practice their cricket on a full-time basis.

“We plan to include international sponsors. We expect to have a lot of co-operation from other countries. The world really wants the West Indies to do well. If the West Indies does well, then the ICC does well,” Dr Peters added.

“The key component is the regional players and how we fund them. All of our first-class players in the Caribbean in the future will be employed as cricketers so that they can focus on their cricket. If you are a pro player you need to be able to support your family.”

...Board acting on Patterson’s report

The CEO said that the board had taken note of former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson’s mission statement on the future of West Indies cricket.

“The board has implemented about 60% of the recommendations of the Patterson Report. We are still in the planning stages and we will address the governance aspect of it at a stakeholders conference for March of this year.” According to Peters, the board will be attracting players from South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Each of the six countries involved will be allowed three internationals.

“We are very optimistic that this will improve the quality of cricket and bring the fans back to the ground.” he said. “We plan to replicate the atmosphere of the Stanford 20/20 tournament.”

The announcement coincided with news that the T&T Cricket Board has begun a partnership with English County Nottinghamshire.

“This move by the T&TCB is a step in the right direction,” said Peters, “It is not only innovative, but necessary.”

WICB Donald Peters says Pro League coming Soon
January 15th 2009

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will start a professional regional cricket league with international players during the 2010 season. This was revealed by Dr Donald Peters, CEO of the WICB at a press conference on Wednesday at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Peters said that the move was in response to the lack of regional players playing professionally abroad.

“We want to replace the absence of opportunities that our players had when they played in counties in England. We have realised that since those opportunities have dried up, our performances have gone down,” Dr Peters said.

“We recognise that in order to improve in the standings, one of the things to do is improve the competition. We have to become a more dynamic organisation and play a lot more competitive cricket.”

Peters said that with the sponsorship of foreign corporations, first-class players will now be able to practice their cricket on a full-time basis.

“We plan to include international sponsors. We expect to have a lot of co-operation from other countries. The world really wants the West Indies to do well. If the West Indies does well, then the ICC does well,” Dr Peters added.

“The key component is the regional players and how we fund them. All of our first-class players in the Caribbean in the future will be employed as cricketers so that they can focus on their cricket. If you are a pro player you need to be able to support your family.”

The CEO said that the board had taken note of former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson’s mission statement on the future of West Indies cricket.

“The board has implemented about 60% of the recommendations of the Patterson Report. We are still in the planning stages and we will address the governance aspect of it at a stakeholders conference for March of this year.”

According to Peters, the board will be attracting players from South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Each of the six countries involved will be allowed three internationals.

“We are very optimistic that this will improve the quality of cricket and bring the fans back to the ground.” he said. “We plan to replicate the atmosphere of the Stanford 20/20 tournament.”

The announcement coincided with news that the T&T Cricket Board has begun a partnership with English County Nottinghamshire.

“This move by the T&TCB is a step in the right direction,” said Peters, “It is not only innovative, but necessary.”