BCA awards contracts to domestic players

The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) has awarded 12 of its players with domestic contracts for the 2021 to 2022 season and among them are twin sisters Kycia and Kyshona Knight.

The contracts commenced July 1st and will end June 30th, 2022. Three players each from Empire and The University of the West Indies Blackbirds, two from Wanderers and one each from Carlton and the Wildey Club respectively round off the list of ten men that received domestic contracts.

The Knight sisters were the only female players receiving domestic contracts.

BCA president Conde Riley explained that his board decided to award these two players with domestic contracts because even though they represent West Indies cricket they had not been given central contracts by Cricket West Indies (CWI). They are the only Barbadians who have not received CWI contracts with Hayley Matthews, Shamilia Connell and Deandra Dottin all having CWI retainer contracts

“All those girls that you see in the West Indies team are on Central West Indies contracts. These two girls (Kycia and Kyshona) were not on contract with Cricket West Indies. So, we give them BCA contracts which we pay.

“Hayley Matthews, Deandra (Dottin), Shamilia Connell, they are on West Indies Central contracts. These two girls (Kycia and Kyshona) are now in the West Indies team as well and we thought that they earned the right to get contracts,” Riley said.

The overall group of men selected are among the best emerging talent in Barbados cricket. Barbados and The University of the West Indies Blackbirds all-rounder Nicholas Kirton is among those to secure a contract.

The 23-year-old has represented Barbados and West Indies Under-19 cricket teams and has played professionally for the likes of Canada, Montreal Tigers, Jamaica Tallawahs, as well as for Combined Campuses and Colleges.

Fellow UWI teammates opener Leniko Boucher and wicketkeeper Tevyn Walcott have also impressed the BCA sufficiently to earn their pay cheques.

Butcher, 23, has represented Barbados Under-19, West Indies Under-19, Barbados Tridents and St. Lucia Zouks. Walcott, 26, made his first-class debut for Barbados in 2017 during the Regional Four Day Competition. He also made his List A debut for Barbados that same year and played the Regional Super50 in 2018.

Making the cut for BCA contracts from the Empire club are spinner Camarie Boyce and all-rounders Shian Brathwaite and Jarian Hoyte. Boyce and Brathwaite are both 21 and Hoyte who is 22 have all represented West Indies junior teams.

Wanderers batsman Jonathan Drakes and medium pacer Roshon Primus have also received contracts. Meanwhile, batsman Zachary McCaskie of Wildey and fast bowler Shamar Springer of Carlton who was part of the West Indies Under-19 T20 World Cup championship squad in 2016 have been selected among the awardees.

morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb