St John’s, Antigua — Despite the absence of a senior Leeward Islands championship this year, players not previously contracted by the Leeward Islands franchise, but who would have performed throughout 2015, could be given an opportunity to represent the sub-regional squad during the WICB’s Professional Cricket League (PCL).
This is according to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA), Derrick Nicholas, who said the cancelling of the two competitions, the Three-Day and the One-Day tournaments, does not spell doom for players outside of the franchise set-up.
“The possibility exists and continues to exists for those players who would have done well and are not part of the franchise set up, for them to play for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes during the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board’s Professional Cricket League on a pay for play basis. So those persons who were not fortunate enough to be part of the 15 contracted players would still have an opportunity over the course of the upcoming season,” he said.
President of LICA, Auckland Hector, had earlier said that moving the tournament also eliminates their having to contend with the annual hurricane season, while President of the local Antigua & Barbuda Cricket Association, Leon “Kuma” Rodney, has supported the move by LICA to re-position the tournament.
Nicholas was, however, adamant that the 2015 edition of the competition have not been cancelled but rather postponed. He spoke on the main reason behind the decision.
“The Board met on Saturday last and the head coach (Reginald Benjamin) made a presentation to the board and the rational for postponing the Leewards senior tournament which, incidentally, was to start next month and not this month was that the coach wanted to have an out of season, out of West Indies Cricket Board season, activity and not only for the franchise players but for those players who are on the outside and would like an opportunity ahead of the 2016 draft,” the CEO said.
Antigua & Barbuda captured both the Three-Day and the One- Day tournaments put on by LICA in 2014.