KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The West Indies Cricket Board says the reason it rejected Test captain Jason Holder’s application for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in the inaugural Pakistan Super League was because the player’s first priority needed to be the domestic competition.
The 24-year-old Holder, a rising star in the game, was last month drafted by franchise team Quetta Gladiators but confirmed recently he was forced to turn down the offer after not securing an NOC from the WICB.
However, newly appointed WICB marketing and communications manager, Carole Beckford, said West Indies “retained” players had an “obligation” to turn out in the regional tournaments.

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So he is being TOLD of his obligations?

Doesn't sound like a company man to me...

In reply to Halliwell

Isn't that what some people want around here?

In reply to Halliwell

what do you mean?

he should not have put his name up for bidding knowing he has domestic obligations?

and by putting his name up he's sending the message that domestic obligations is not priority?

i don't get you

In reply to Halliwell

Some people can't even use this site and FB during working hours.

Oppression.

In reply to Doosra

The WICB must just accept that they need to decrease the retainer and let them guys do what they want.

In reply to Commie

Just remove the albatross (retainer) and let's have a free for all and see how that works.

The gall of these guys who append their signatures on a security ticket then blatantly and bold facedly think they can try a ting....

I would love to see some of these guys Skip Caribbean Primier League to improve their game in the longer format. Afterall T20 cricket is not cricket.

Would be fun to see how things Pan out.

In reply to Kay

I am expecting better turnout for the second round of PCL. Would be keely looking at the attendance.

In reply to Pacy

Will you be there? Or are you just one of those proxy supporter who depend on the one camera US stream to give your motivational support?

I don't understand how you guys can't comprehend simple matters. Don't sign the retainer if you want to freelance since it can be offered to a more committed player who will be available at all times. How difficult that is?

In reply to Kay

That's the problem right there.

The player is deemed committed ONLY IF said player has no other options....aka NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO ATTRACT MORE LUCRATIVE OFFERS ELSEWHERE

The player that fits the bill in the statement in BOLD above is unlikely to be an international class player. So your "committed" players turn out for West Indies and take more licks than ever.

I'm not saying this isn't a complex issue. But this protocol from the WICB is hardly the solution.

In reply to imusic

Then don't accept a retainer and use the free market.

Instead they want the safety of WI Cricket retainers to show their prowess so that they can then go and play any and everywhere when they want.

That's like marrying to get more access to events where you can meet more women. Technically it works but long term it's not sustainable.

In reply to Kay

More committed until he gets a big offer and moves on

and so on and so forth .....

In reply to Commie

Interesting analogy.

Kind a cute - I like it.

In reply to Commie

That's the dilemma.

To be eligible to play for West Indies, one MUST play ALL domestic competitions. An added benefit is that doing so could qualify that player for a retainer contract.

Hopefully this strategy pays off for West Indies cricket. Because it could backfire.

Instead, players could see the remuneration being offered elsewhere and decide to go the free agent route.

Rather than help to improve the state of the game in the region, it could hasten the further deterioration of West Indies cricket.

Risky....but the powers that be...in their wisdom.....know best.

In reply to imusic

The issue above all is to keep scouting for new talent.

If players want to behave like their careers are at risk so too should WI Cricket treat their investments as risk.

That they don't is their problem because they inevitably end up turning to the usual suspects.

They have to skip the club systems and all its biases and layers and look as far down as village and parish cricket. You can't trust that Trinidad and Jamaica and Windwards have selected the best players from the available pool.

The selection system should be buried. It is done.

In reply to Commie

But their careers are at risk

A career can be made, or derailed, based on the whim of a selector, President, CEO, Director of cricket, Vice Prseident, etc.

It's always been that way. Players should above all look out for themselves. Nobody really doing it for them.

The administrators damn well making sure that they are well taken care of...so why not players?


And what "usual suspects" you referring to? When Lloyd took his team to Packer....were they usual suspects?

You come across well bitter.


That hard line you want them to draw....and which it look like they have already adopted.....is a perilous path. We'll see how it turns out.

The WICB is NOT in a position of strength. The players know it....certainly the marketable players.

In reply to imusic


This is a problem with players today, if Commie think a village player will not get an agent and follow the T20 league, he must be living under a rock

In reply to Halliwell

Man showing no allegiance to the one who brung him to the dance -------a thought it was only Gayle who didn’t know who paid for the development of his career…….

In reply to imusic

What is bitter about stating the obvious.

This myth that players career is short is just that. A myth.

All half decent WI players get a long run. The truth is most of them are shit at their job.

Lloyd and co were the creme de la creme.

If you look at most of the core players they got a LONG run.

In reply to Kay

I don’t understand you – why should they not avail themselves of legal free money – that’s like winning the lottery……..let the WICB learn how to run a professional sports concern….you see any other international sport where players can just willy-nilly go play for the highest bidder without their home team being royally compensated

In reply to Commie

I disagree

what's the difference between a professional cricketer and a doctor?

Both have to dedicate themselves to their profession

They invest time, energy, and money in their respective careers

The best in their respective fields are in demand

The MAIN difference is.....most doctors can be in their profession until age 65 or so. The customary age of retirement for pretty much everyone bar professional athletes.

A professional cricketer can be a professional cricketer until age 35 or so. Then that person has to hang it up. They can't earn a living as a professional cricketer anymore. Not at that level anyway.

Some professional sports like golf have a senior tour. Cricket doesn't have that.

In reply to birdseye

They don't know what to do
Just a couple weeks ago they were suddenly singing about Holder being a different breed

Holder was willing to go
In spite of any and all 'obligations'
He decided to back down this time, what about next time?

Mike Hussey, at 40, has given up the IPL and Big Bash to spend more time on his coaching and advisory roles.

Many cricketers have stuff they can do post cricket.

Any half-decent intl cricketer nowadays can earn enough in 2-3 years to set him up to do other things for life

so Commie is spot on with that myth (esp post 2000)

Let's take Rajendra Chandrika as the latest example. In 2015 AND in 2016 Chandrika would earn in tests and FC cricket more than what most middle managers in Guyana will earn over a 5 year. If he players another year or 3 (5 years total) he'd double those middle managers and with enough capital to do stuff post-cricket

In reply to imusic

somethign i fundamentally wrong with that line of reasoning

who wants to continue playing cricket into their old age for a living?

cricketers nowadays have the potential to earn enough over a shorter period of time to set themselves up for life post cricket.

and hey just in case, even the old men dem getting a bligh now...see the UAE league or whatever it is...

In reply to imusic

Why make it between a doctor and a cricketer. A doctor saves lives, is invariably stressed out and goes through a pretty rigorous apprenticeship to get to what is a controlled number of elite people.

Cricketers are not critical to anything.

All the West Indian cricketers will technically surpass most people in the Caribbean in their earning power and indeed most people of Caribbean origin. Given unemployment levels amongst young men across the region you could say they occupy a space of elite opportunity.

If Kraigg Braffit has a 15 year career without T20 which is conceivable he will be a millionaire many times over and will be physically fit and still in his 40s and able to do whatever he likes. Making more money won't change the dangers or the opportunities. That part is personal and no amount of money can protect many sportsmen from themselves.

In reply to imusic

You are omitting the bigger difference in those two examples which is a matter of personal career choice. At age 18 you chose to be a cricketer because you did the cost benefit analysis and figured that by age 35 you can bank M$10 net and retire happily. At age 18 I figured that if I chose to be a doctor I can have M$10 in the bank by age 65 and retire happily. Same result but we chose differently just that you took the riskier route while I chose the longer but safer route.

The organization you work for should not be saddled with the responsibility of subsidizing your career choice....

In reply to Kay

Really? I thought it was because it was what you are good at.

In reply to imusic

Tough decision at that age bro. It's when you are good at many things and have choices that are not available later in life. I was a jokester but figured that being a clown will not support a healthy retirement so I had to pass....

In reply to Kay

I am not sure if having retainer & Available people is some ritual.

Retainership was supposed to be a model that had to ensure that the best athletes we had are adequately covered so that they can focus completely on their development. But from having the best the same has moved towards having the most loyal.

Now if having our best players needs a tweaking in the model that has to happen. Holding this retainer ritual and not meeting the objective of attracting the best players to be available for WI is like "Operation Successful but Patient died"

WI has always been a slow starter. When the WIPA was fighting for retainers in early 2000s they waited until they Digicel problem surfaced and they demanded for a Retainer to meet their needs. The T20 was the talk of the town and we had the best athletes around the world. But we waited till Sanford came on board. Post Stanford we waited for 3 years until Digicel wanted to CPL.

Now again, the retainership approach is outdated and not reflecting the needs of the time. WI would not change and they will hold to this approach until some external force comes and makes the change. Enjoy seeing every talent in the Caribbean move out while you wait for saviors from the next U19 bunch

In reply to Commie

Yes – but that’s under sound cricket administrative policies – that is not WI modus operandi – how many times have you seen questionable WI selections/non-selections.

In reply to birdseye

Yours is an emotional cry and wailing that has nothing to do with reality.

All the major players and even some very mediocre players have had long careers with WI.

That they are not good enough is more of a prescient discussion point than they being unfairly dealt with.

In reply to Commie

Sarwan, Simmons, Barath, Bishoo, Kernon(s) Powell and Pollard. Jerome Taylor, Dwayne Bravo……….those are just a few who have seen their WI career interrupted by flaky management policies – Chanderpaul was unceremoniously left out at one point in favor of so call youth movement – Chris Gayle left out because he refused to crawl, Russell – why isent he treated like Holder? Is there that much variation in talent?………I am sure this list could grow

In reply to Kay

You figured wrong.

But as a teenager I figured that it was easier to get into medical school than into the West Indies team. 11 spots in the team that barely changed from year to year in one group and 100 spots per year in the other group - each year

(BTW - entering medicine in the US is now known as the 1 million dollar mistake - as that is how much in the hole a person is when they are actually ready to practice - loans, loss on income etc etc. One may have other motivation but that is a separate discussion)

Anyway, back to sports - an international/major league sportsman/athlete is an exceptional individual and should make as much as market forces permit him/her to. It didn't start with Shaquille O'Neil or Maradonna but that is when numbers like 40 millions dollar contract became a common place.

And it is a fact that their career has a limited amount of years.

When we stop watching TV, drinking Coco Cola etc - earnings will go down. That is like never.

Just my 2 cents.

In reply to doosra

Doos - there are more opportunities available to cricketers/sportsmen today than decades ago - agreed.

Still it is a minority of professional sportsmen that have a career in sports after they are done playing.

"setting oneself up" suggests another career. That often requires a completely different skill set and training. How many of us have had a career and then completely switch and embark on a separate training/career? A minority I would guess.

In reply to birdseye

That is errant nonsense birdseye.

Sarwan killed his own career by not dealing with a recurring back problem. Barath isnt even playing for Trinidad. The minute he showed some form he was brought back into the WI setup until he melted down again. Powell reads like mystery novel. He was given a chance to come back and play in regional cricket but wanted a guarantee of being able to step straight back into the WI team. What kind of nonsense is that. Pollard isnt even a decent ODI player much less to play Tests where he doesnt even play a full season of fc cricket. Jerome Taylor you can read a volume of info on CC.com from archives which talk about the road Taylor took. Bravo ? Have you looked to see the amount of matches Bravo has played for WI ? You all talking as if this is some genius neophyte who has just been discovered. The man has been playing for near 11 years.

Find another fountain of misinformation to tap at. This one is dry.

In reply to Commie

You think just like a WI selecta – find reason – any reason – then abandon…….what is a player to do………look out for his own interest …….you cannot really believe that none of the players I mentioned are all less capable than all that are in the current senior squad......but then you seem very assured

In reply to dax

Boss this wasn't about you and who you are so don't take it literally. It was just hypothetical for argument sake. You can remove doctor and put in engineer ... same argument.

Nice knowing that you are are doctor though...

In reply to Kay

Forget that/me - read the rest of the post

Point is professional sportsmen are even more elite - and the market will pay them what they are worth and for how long they are worth it (which is usually a few short years)

In addition, many people would like to be an elite cricketer, baseball player etc
Many try and few have the talent and persistence to make it there (a bit of of luck is needed too)

As other posters have pointed out as well - until a few years ago, ones career depended on the whims and fancies (and politics)of the selectors as there weren't too many potential employers.

So great for the guys who can go make a lot of money in 20/20.
That is why the Holder thing is concerning. Before long, he too may get dissatisfied and go that road - as many before him, most notably Sammy who was the WIBC poster boy of loyalty for while.

In reply to birdseye

You are a sometimeish fan who doesnt even know the current state of most of those guys careers yet you are advocating for them based on some blind belief they have been wronged.

The problem has been created by the WICB and only they can fix it.