WEST INDIES wicketkeeper/ batsman Nicholas Pooran will not be allowed to play for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the upcoming West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Professional Four-Day tournament after signing with the Khulna Titans in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which bowled off yesterday. The former West Indies Under-19 player will also be ineligible for the Regional Super50 tournament scheduled for early next year.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WICB Michael Muirhead explained that there are consequences if a player commits himself to a regional team and backs out of his agreement.

Muirhead stated, “Nicholas Pooran has decided not to play for the franchise (Leeward Islands Hurricanes) that he was selected for. All persons who are entering the (WICB Four-Day) draft, sign that they will make themselves available and commit themselves to playing for whoever they are drafted by. If you fail to honour that then there are consequences.

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Wtf .. so Emrit could play the BPL and when he return represent the T&T franchise.. but Pooran can't...

They really gotta get rid of these criminals at the WICB.. one the best young batsman in a long time and the bandits wanna fcuk his career.. no wonder the senior players don't give ah shyte about WI cricket..

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Looks like the clauses are not consistent across the franchises... Not sure what the objective is. Vindictiveness or cleaning the Trinidadian players out of WI cricket ?

In reply to anthonyp

No surprises here.

This will also explain why Samuels turn down the contract

Carlos playing there too right?

In reply to Pacy

Something not adding up here. .as usual

In reply to DIEHARD

With WICB we should be concerned only if it adds up.

Emrit was not drafted, he can play BPL, CCL, NFL and whatever L, and if selected by a PCL team after his return, will be okay.

In reply to openning

Emrit was also selected in draft

In reply to openning

Not true.

The WICB is a dysfunctional bunch of crooks.

In reply to DIEHARD

Is ah set of WI players over there... saw Fletcher and the U19 opener Pope names in one the squad..

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

So the question is whether or not Pooran had such a clause in his contract. I would like to think that the contractual provisions are the same among all the franchises?

Disappointed to hear he will not be playing for Leewards.

The best way to run a system is to spend time effort and money to set up the system and then when that time money and effort is wasted reward the same ppl who are wasting it as well as the people who are using it properly.

West Indies Fan Logic

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

well..well well..

Any doubt now that the WICB is a vindictive organization.
The ballot for Ramnarine and Ganga to take over TT cricket will be the start of the END for Cameron and co.
No more shoo ins for them.
Let the games begin.
We need the clubs to vote out the Bassarath led mafia.

So you don't know who you will be drafted by but each contract is different and if you back out you are banned.

Presumably nobody actually signed a contract before the draft?

In reply to matchstick

If Everyone is treated the equally then you might not face such tough questions.

This is madness. You cant get better professional exposure that playing in foreign environment for a professional set up. WICB has to find a way to complement, not frustrate these opportunities...especially they know the cant afford to compete on wages.

This English language is a funny beast.....

In reply to Pacy

Who treated unequal?

U sign a contract u face the consequence of breaking it...

That how it works anywhere in the world.

Are u missing something in this?

In reply to matchstick

I see other names in the BPL like Emrit, Fletcher etc. Are they also banned for this year?

In reply to Logic

That is an agreeable comment.

In reply to Pacy

Are they breaking their contracts?

In reply to matchstick

Do you mean to say each franchise has different contract terms?

I see a few contracted guys playing in BPL. Out of them 1 is banned for the year while other is allowed to go and come back. So how do you explain?

In reply to Pacy

Check T&T contracted players, Emrit is not one of them and his paid per game, so it will be difficult to stop him from playing T20 league players..
TTCB contrated and Non -Contracted players

I thought we moved away from the plantation ways of doing things long ago

Listen, ppl seem to be treating Windies cricket like a rampin shop

Pooran just got the little break and already he wants to bite the hand that feed him

The best way to kill a crocodile is in its shell

You can't sign a contract and breach it at will without consequences, in fact, they should drop a law suit in Pooran's skunt!

these players need agents/manager.

Pooran is not being punished for anything. He presumably made a decision which he thought was in his best interest. I also would think that he would know what is the consequence for his action. What is wrong with that?

In reply to openning

I know both of them are drafted but not sure if Pooran is one of the LI contracted player. I also saw the article talk only about the draft.

If like you say he is contracted and had taken a decision without his team owners knowledge he deserves sanction. My only concern is with regard to the inconsistent application of rules.

In reply to XDFIX

Thank you--There are many people on this board just plain ignorant--Trumpism abounds.

In reply to Pacy

Always read the rules my son, some may differ

Can the Leewards now draft in another player of their choosing as this decision wasn't one that they decided.

In reply to Pacy

Pooran was drafted and a contracted player. Maybe he felt he didn't want to play for a small team or small money or whatever. But he was basically we 1st Choice keeper

It seems like Pooran wants to stop VOR's revo progress!

Surely, LI should have legal recourse here!

In reply to positiveg

That is really unfortunate for LI. Pooran, I think, made a bad choice so early in his career.

Pooran had a big chance to make a name for himself across all formats making himself prominent. Being part of a Small team gives you so much more opportunity to succeed.

In reply to Pacy

Stay focus... neither u nor I have all the info...

All we know is that legally u break a contract u will face the consequences.

If the other players are breaking their contracts then I would only expect them to face the consequences of that.

Pooran has the players union and is surely entitled to private legal help to defend himself if he thinks he is being punished unfairly.

Don't make sense wasting too much more time on this...

In reply to matchstick

That is the important aspect. Organisation needs to be consistent in their administration of rules. Else there is going to be challenge.

You dont have data but would want to side with WICB's decisions and I do not have data but feel WICB is biased. So one of us can be right depending upon what the fact is.

Opening and Positive had given the inputs on why Emrits situation is different from Poorans and If that is the case I am fine with the decision except for the fact that a young man would be losing a couple of years of his career.

In reply to Pacy

Losing a couple of years because of what, greed? He is old enough to know what he is doing !

In reply to Pacy

He made his choice, I really don't see what the fuss is about.
You cannot baby sit these guys

How good is this Pooran? Is he test MATL?

In reply to openning

Pacy and dem want the players to be able to make decisions in their best interest but feel WICB shouldn't take action that would protect WICB's interest.

Hope Pooran Knows Bangla have history of now paying

In reply to positiveg

Positive I just saw Hamilton in the Draft Squad. He did well in the A team so should not be a problem for LI.

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

WICB has been doing things to cover them for many many years and it is not wrong either. But the way you do it decides how an organisation is seen.

The whole world has an image for WICB and there is a reason for it.

I support Pooran's decision. His first priority is to pursue career options that suit him and his family first and foremost. He owes the WICB nothing. If the WICB want to play hardball with him, that's their business. I don't think Pooran will lose any sleep over it, in much the same way Samuels, Carlos and Lil Bravo are not losing any sleep over not signing a central contract.

History has shown that if you put all your cards in the WICB camp, you end up shafted. Sammy soon learnt, and Holder will learn....

Pooran stands a good chance of making more money from the T20 leagues than by being contracted to Trinidad.

In reply to Pacy

EXACTLY!

He would of been there with Hamilton with either player switching roles based on format, cause I'm sure that was the plan.
But maybe got some poor advise or didn't fully understand or just didn't want to play for LI.
Either way it done happen cricket goes on

In reply to mikesiva

You do realise that Samuels, Carlos and Lil Bravo are basically all established players in their respective formats, they already started their career and played Int'l cricket, So they done made a good change in they back pocket.
Pooran just starting out, and as much as some folks don't like to admit it. needs to get their names on a WI scorecard before gaining worldwide recognition. The guys at the WICB knows this and like to play hardball with it, which is why they usually lose. But in this case Pooran should of made this call when he was more established.
Cause no matter how much he make if he home nah play no pro cricket what kind of game exposure he gonna get to get picked up by other leagues?

if Pooran smashes a couple in Bangla he might just get an IPL chance, and who knows where else...

PCL contract can't compete...and there's no guarantee he's going to play test cricket in a hurry (to get wicb contract)

why take the long road?

Pooran himself is probably not too bothered

he fetched 90,000 in the 2016 CPL...that's about twice what he would earn playing all of PCL - match fees and year contract (30,000 (all year, 12 months) max contract + 10 matches by 1,300 = 43,000)

In reply to positiveg

PG he is not our first choice keeper as that position is Jahmar Hmailton who is a better gloveman. Pooran would have played as a batsman at least in the FC team.

I remember a situation where Deonarine was drafted but refused to play for Leewards citing that he would rather be near his family in TNT.He was traded for Bonner.

The situation with Pooran is not the same as it seems he turned down the PCL franchise contract that would bind him for a season for an overseas contract. I see nothing wrong with that but why should that make him ineligible to play upon his return on pay per play basis? Drafting a player does not mean he must play for you if he does not agree with the terms of the contract offered?

That is my two cents on this. I thought he was the steal of the draft and if he wants to play overseas more power to him. We have a good young group of players with Chesney in the mix and I think we will be alright.

In reply to voiceofreason

I realised i made an error when I said typed that I meant in limited overs. But I didn't want to go back and edit it seeing that others have already responded to the post.

In reply to mikesiva

And if he buck he toe, a hope no charge will be laid at the feet of the WICB

Hopefully WICB getting a piece of the action of all these players on contract overseas - a percentage of their earnings should be going to either their home board coffers or the WICB's

That's how the sports world roll and I hope the region not losing out in that regard - already sports athletes in the region do not pay taxes on earnings which bothers me to say the least.

In reply to WestDem

The man does not want to play for the Leeward Islands,he thought he was good enough to be in the Trinidad & Tobago team --he just fugged himself

In reply to Stilbatn

He thinks LI too low class I would say. A wonder if Sammy playing for his local team