Bonner rewarded with WI retainer

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, (CMC):

Rookie Test stars Kyle Mayers, Nkrumah Bonner, and Joshua Da Silva have been rewarded with central retainer contracts for the first time while established Test all-rounder Roston Chase, along with batsman Shimron Hetmyer and gloveman Shane Dowrich have all been axed from the new list announced yesterday by Cricket West Indies.

Newly appointed Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite has also earned a red ball contract after previously missing out due to poor form while the man he replaced, all-rounder Jason Holder, was the only player to retain an all-formats contract.

In all, 18 players have been handed central retainers for the next year, starting July 1, down by four over the previous period.

“I am happy for all the players who have been offered retainer contracts for the upcoming period,” said director of cricket Jimmy Adams.

“Especially pleasing was the number of players who were awarded first-time contracts in recognition of their performances during the period under review.

“I know that the 11 players who have lost their International retainers will be striving and fighting hard to get back into the teams and earn their central contracts back next year.

“These players, along with our T20 specialists, will ensure that we have genuine competition for places that will push everyone to attain higher standards of performance.”

DOUBLE HUNDRED DEBUT

The left-handed Mayers burst on to the Test scene with an unbeaten double hundred on debut as West Indies stunned Bangladesh by three wickets in the opening Test in Chittagong last February after astonishingly chasing 395 on the final day.

He subsequently averaged 50 in the recently drawn two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Antigua and currently boasts a Test average of 66 from tour matches.

Bonner, meanwhile, was one of the heroes of the Bangladesh tour, averaging 57 to end as Man-of-the-Series before hitting his maiden Test hundred against Sri Lanka in the opening Test last March.

He averages 62 in four Tests.

Da Silva, meanwhile, made an encouraging debut last December on the tour of New Zealand when he replaced Dowrich for the second Test and struck 57 in the second innings.

He followed up by averaging 43 on the tour of Bangladesh before averaging 33 against Sri Lanka.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, who made his One-Day International debut last January against Bangladesh, has also been rewarded with a white ball contract.

The 28-year-old has taken eight wickets in six matches.

Hetmyer, meanwhile, one of the shining lights of West Indies cricket, has found himself without a contract, having played precious little international cricket recently while Chase, vice-captain on the Test tour of New Zealand five months ago, has also found himself out of an all-formats contract.

Since the start of 2019, the right-hander has averaged only 21 with the bat in Tests and 33 in ODIs.

Dowrich, who abruptly left the tour of New Zealand for personal reasons and has not played again since, joins batsman Shamarh Brooks in losing his red ball contract.

Rovman Powell, who captained West Indies on an ODI tour of Bangladesh as recently as two and a half years ago, has lost his white ball contract along with Sunil Ambris, Sheldon Cottrell, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, and Oshane Thomas.

While CWI has not revealed the value of the central retainers, up until three years ago, an all-formats deal was worth between US$150,000 and US$200,000; a red ball contract was worth US$100,000 to $140,000; and a white ball contract, US$80,000 to US$120,000.