Jayden Seales, Obed McCoy and Odean Smith have earned their maiden Cricket West Indies (CWI) international retainer contracts for men, for the period between July 1, 2022, and June 20, 2023. Also joining the list of 18 are Brandon King, Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd, while the now-retired Kieron Pollard, as well as Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Evin Lewis, Rahkeem Cornwall and Shannon Gabriel have been omitted from the previous group.
Development contracts, meanwhile, have been given to allrounders Mandy Mangru and Jannillea Glasgow and batter Rashada Williams of the West Indies women's set-up. From the previous cycle, Britney Cooper, Sheneta Grimmond, Shawnisha Hector and Qiana Joseph have been excluded and, apart from the other three new faces, Karishma Ramharack has been added.
In all a total of 36 players - men and women - have been included in the contracts' list. This is in addition to the 90 players, who are contracted to the territorial board franchise squads.
For the period in question, the men's retainer structure has been changed, according to a CWI statement, "to offer player contracts across all formats of cricket, compared to specific red or white-ball contracts in previous years". This came after a performance-evaluation period from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, supported by data from the 2019-2020 evaluation period. CWI said: "This allows for all players to be appraised immediately after the Evaluation Period and provides a notice period before new contracts start on 1 July, 2022. The system is designed to reward hard work and performance results."
"We think this is a dynamic group, with the right mixture of experience and youthfulness to properly represent the people of the Caribbean," Desmond Haynes, the men's lead selector, said. "With general retainer contracts, it gives us a pool of talented and dedicated cricketers, who can take West Indies cricket forward in years to come."
The addition of Mangru, Glasgow and Williams have taken the total number of women players on development contracts to six, as they joined Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi and Kaysia Schultz.
"The selectors have placed a great focus on the young developing players because these are the ones who will help to build the team as we look towards the future," women's lead selector Ann Browne-John said. "The panel believes that the combination of experienced players and the emerging players will give a good base as we continue to prepare teams for international matches and the T20 World Cup early next year."
CWI added in the statement that "all players who are no longer awarded international retainer contracts are offered an A grade Regional Franchise Contract for the following year".
Full list of contracted players - men
Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Full list of contracted players - women
Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Kaysia Schultz, Shakera Selman, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams.