Caribbean Times 98th Issue - Thursday 22nd September 2016

Thursday 22nd September 2016 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 15
Windies not weakened by Gayle absence
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates —
Pakistan are not assuming the absence
of batting superstar Chris Gayle to mean
West Indies will be a weakened unit for
their three-match Twenty20 International
series starting here Saturday.
“I don’t think that there is much of an
advantage when it comes to T20 cricket
when players have changed,” captain
Sarfraz Ahmed said.
“True, they don’t have Chris Gayle
but they do have some other good players.
Our focus is to do well on the field.
We finished on a good note in Manchester
(against England earlier this month)
and I hope we start on a good note here.”
Gayle, one of the most destructive
batsmen in the game’s shortest formats,
was not available for selection after also
missing the two-match series against India
in Fort Lauderdale, United States last
month.
West Indies Women cricketers
on retainer contracts
with the WICB are set to receive
enhanced compensation
packages from October 1,
including increases in annual
retainer fees, sponsorship
payments, match fees and
captains’ allowances. The
number of women on retainer
contracts will also be increased
to 15, from the current
11. The estimated increase
will cost the WICB just under
US$600,000 for the upcoming
year.
Captain Stafanie Taylor,
who led their victorious
World T20 campaign earlier
this year, welcomed the move.
“I believe we are stepping
in the right direction. England
and Australia are the two top
He was joined by Lendl Simmons
who was also unavailable because of
medical reason while dynamic all-rounder
Andre Russell pulled out of the squad
last week for “personal reasons.”
However, Sarfraz pointed out that
regardless of the line-up, the key to winning
T20s was execution.
“In T20, you cannot win by names
alone. You need to go out there and play
well,” he contended.
“If you see, England are a good team
and we have quite a few young and exciting
players who have performed well.
And I’m sure they will do well here too.”
West Indies have been installed as
heavy favourites, especially after lifting
an unprecedented second T20 World Cup
title in India last April.
They are currently ranked number
three with Pakistan four places lower in
seventh.
teams where women’s cricket
is concerned and I think
we can mirror what they are
doing and get on their level,”
Taylor said. “It’s good that the
retainers and match fees have
been increased and the girls
love it. We hope that, as time
goes by, more things will be
improved.”
Former captain Merissa
Aguilleira also lauded the development.
Noting the team’s
hard work and success, Aguilleira
added that “an increase
like this will only encourage
[the team] to work harder
and continue representing the
people of the Caribbean to the
best of [their] abilities.”
The new packages, which
emerged from negotiations
between the WICB and the
West Indies Players’ Association
(WIPA), were hailed
by both parties. WICB CEO
Michael Muirhead said that
the packages would “serve
as an additional incentive for
the current set of women” and
also “serve as a drawing card
to more women to be attracted
to cricket”.
WIPA president and CEO
Wavell Hinds said the enhanced
packages were “well
deserved” given the women’s
teams’ performances over the
past decade.
West Indies Women’s next
international assignment is a
home five-match ODI series
against England in October.
The last three ODIs of the series
will count towards Women’s
Championship points,
Despite the absence of Gayle, Simmons
and Russell, West Indies boast the
likes of all-rounders Kieron Pollard and
Dwayne Bravo, along with leg-spinner
Samuel Badree and off-spinner Sunil Narine.
But Sarfraz said while there was no
doubt about the quality of the Caribbean
side, Pakistan would not be daunted.
“They are the best T20 team in the
world and won the Twenty20 World
Cup,” he noted.
“We are also a good team and when
we played against England, we didn’t
think that we were playing the T20 World
Cup finalists and that they are one of the
best T20 teams in the world. Our focus
was mainly on that we should play well
and play good cricket.
“That is the same focus here. Our aim
is to play good cricket and play a good
brand of cricket and beat them.” (CMC)
WI Women to get better compensation packages
offering the sides the chance
to seal their spot in next year’s
World Cup in England. West
Indies are currently second
in the Women’s Championship,
behind Australia. (ES-
PNcricinfo)
NATURALISATION
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given
that Maria Rowena B. Redulla
of Dowhill, Picadilly,
St. Paul's, Antigua, is applying
to the Minister for Naturalisation
and that any person
who knows any reason why
Naturalisation should not be
granted should send a written
and signed statement of the
facts to the Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of External
Affairs.