2016 T20 WORLD Cup hero Marlon Samuels heads a record number of local and international stars who have been officially registered for the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Player Draft which takes place on Friday, March 10, in Barbados.In all, 258 players from across the Caribbean and most of the leading cricketing nations are in the frame to secure a coveted place in the tournament, which is this year scheduled to take place between August 1 and September 9.
“T20 is capturing the world of cricket by storm, and with the huge numbers of talented players from across the cricketing world eager to sign up to the biggest party in sport, I’ve no doubt that the 2017 season will be our best yet,” said Director of International Cricket for CPL, Tom Moody.
“In attracting the cream of international talent from a healthy blend of established and fast-developing nations, it extends the growing international appeal of the sport and of the Hero CPL itself, and I have no doubt that we are going to see a hugely contested Player Draft in Barbados on March 10.”
There’s a strong list of talented West Indies players who were both drafted and undrafted in 2016, including former Antigua Hawksbills and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots star all-rounder Marlon Samuels, who was the man-of-the-match for the West Indies in their ICC World T20 final victory over England last year.
There will be 28 players from Australia in the draft, an increase of six from the 2016 campaign, including a blend of experience in Brad Haddin, Ben Hilfenhaus and Brad Hogg allied to a crop of up-and-coming talent which includes leg-spinner Adam Zampa who was a star for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2016 season.
A further 17 New Zealanders, including the likes of Corey Anderson, Grant Elliott and Jimmy Neesham, are also in the mix.
England have four players and included is T20 specialist fast bowler Tymal Mills, who made his T20 international debut for England against Sri Lanka last summer and is an eye-catching addition amongst the contenders, who will be aiming to secure a place in the Hero CPL for the first time. Ireland will have three representatives in the Draft.
Pakistan will have the highest representation in the Draft after increasing last year’s tally from 38 players to 46. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s rise in the shortest format of the game sees Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi named in a five-strong contingent who will also be hoping to make their tournament bows.
With the high-profile transfers of Chris Gayle (Jamaica Tallawahs to St Kitts & Nevis Patriots) and Dwayne Smith (Guyana Amazon Warriors to Barbados Tridents) already confirmed, the list does not include those players who have been retained by their franchises. They, like the marquee players, will be announced at the Player Draft on March 10.
WEST INDIES – drafted in 2016 (26): Christopher Barnwell (Guyana Amazon Warriors), Sulieman Benn (Trinbago Knight Riders), Devendra Bishoo (Guyana Amazon Warriors), Nkrumah Bonner (Jamaica Tallawahs), Anthony Bramble (Guyana Amazon Warriors), Yannic Cariah (Trinbago Knight Riders), Derone Davis (T&T Red Steel & St Lucia Zouks), Shannon Gabriel (St Lucia Zouks), Kyle Hope (Barbados Tridents), Delorn Johnson (St Lucia Zouks), Alzarri Joseph (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots), Jeremiah Louis, Kyle Mayers (St Lucia Zouks), Andre McCarthy (Jamaica Tallawahs), Ashley Nurse (Barbados Tridents), Orlando Peters (Antigua Hawksbills, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots & Guyana Amazon Warriors), Anderson Phillip (Trinbago Knight Riders), Gidron Pope (St Lucia Zouks), Christopher Powell (Jamaica Tallawahs), Kristopher Ramsarran (St Lucia Zouks), Krishmar Santokie (Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs & St Kitts & Nevis Patriots), Lendl Simmons (Guyana Amazon Warriors & St Kitts & Nevis Patriots), Navin Stewart (Guyana Amazon Warriors & Barbados Tridents), Steven Taylor (Barbados Tridents), Chadwick Walton (Jamaica Tallawahs), Paul Wintz (Guyana Amazon Warriors)