VETERAN West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul headed the list of the Guyana Jaguars contracted players when the Player Draft of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League for the 2016-2017 season took place yesterday at the Coppin/Cozier/Short Media Centre at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, BarbadosChanderpaul, the region’s most capped Test player (164 Tests), is expected to play a mentor role, since Chairman of Selectors, former national fast bowler, Rayon Griffith opted for a number of young players.
The Player Draft has been organised with the goal of achieving an equitable distribution of the available player talent in the Regional four-day and NAGICO Super50 tournaments.
Each franchise contracted a minimum of 15 players, with ten players pre-selected from the home territory while five players drafted from the Player Pool.
Of the 15 players contracted to the franchise, a minimum of two must be from outside the home territory, and each franchise can have one international player (i.e. non-eligible West Indian player) at its own cost.
However, the Guyana Jaguars opted for its local players, with only 21-year-old Trinidad and Tobago all-rounder Vikash Mohan, the only new imported draft choice.
Barbadian left-handed all-rounder Raymon Reifer is the other foreign player, but he was one of ten players retained by the Guyana Jaguars.
The other contracted players for the new season are: Shimron Hetmyer, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Vishaul Singh, Assad Fudadin, Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie, Keon Joseph, Anthony Bramble, Steven Jacobs, Paul Wintz and Romario Shephard.
Further, it must be noted that batsmen Leon Johnson and Rajendra Chandrika, along with leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, were not considered for contracts since they all have WICB retainer contracts.
Meanwhile, Narsingh Deonarine, the Guyanese left-handed batsman, who also bowls useful off-spin, was the eye-catching pick for the Windward Islands Volcanoes.
Deonarine, who played for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes last season is expected to be a big boost for the Volcanoes.
The other Guyanese successful at the Player Draft was opener Trevon Griffith, who was retained by the Jamaica Scorpions.
List of players for the other five franchises are as follow:
Barbados Pride: Suliemen Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Kemar Roach, Ashley Nurse, Kevin Stoute, Jomel Warrican, Kissoondath Magram, Kyle Corbin, Omar Phillips, Preston McSween, Justin Greaves.
Jamaica Scorpions: Nikita Miller, Damion Jacobs, Devon Thomas, Chadwick Walton, Andre McCarthy, John Campbell, Rovman Powell, Paul Palmer Jr, Brandon King, Marquino Mindley, Trevon Griffith, Derval Green, Dave Bernard Jr, Jason Dawes, Nicholson Gordon.
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force: Kyle Hope, Evin Lewis, Marlon Richards, Imran Khan, Jon Russ Jagessar, Stephen Katwaroo, Jason Mohammed, Yannic Cariah, Yannick Ottley, Jeremy Solozano, Sheldon Cottrell, Rayad Emrit, Roshon Primus, Kharry Pierre, Bryan Charles.
Windward Islands Volcanoes: Devon Smith, Tyron Theophile, Liam Sebastien, Andre Fletcher, Johnson Charles, Sunil Ambris, Shane Shillingford, Kenroy Peters, Mervin Mathew, Kyle Mayers, Narsingh Deonarine, Delorn Johnson, Jerlani Robinson, Tarryck Gabriel, Sherman Lewis.
Leeward Islands Hurricanes: Nkrumah Bonner, Keacy Carty, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Montcin Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Jeremiah Louis, Kieran Powell, Quinton Boatswain, Hayden Walsh Jr., Nicholas Pooran, Jermaine Otto, Elwin Berridge, Jacques Taylor, Gavin Tonge.