Windies pro league schedule set

Cricket by Dalchand Bissoon

Ramnaresh Sarwan Goes to Red Force.
Ramnaresh Sarwan
Goes to Red Force.

The West Indies Cricket Board last Friday announced the schedule for the inaugural WICB Professional Cricket League which comprises the Regional Four Day Tournament and the Nagico Super 50 Tournament.

The Regional Four Day Tournament kicks off on Nov. 14 and runs through March 23, 2015. The six franchise teams will play 10 matches, five at home and five away.

The six franchise teams will have a unique name. The Windward Islands franchise will be known as Volcanoes while the Trinidad & Tobago franchise will be known as Red Force. The other four teams, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados and the Leeward Islands will announce their names at a later date.

In the opening round Nov. 14 – 17, the Jamaica Franchise will play Volcanoes (W/I) at Sabina Park. The Red Force (T&T) takes on the Barbados Franchise at the Queen’s Park Oval and the Guyana Franchise will host the Leeward Islands at the Guyana National Stadium.

Each franchisee had already retained 10 players from the Home Territory and five additional players were drafted at the PCL inaugural draft ceremony in Barbados last Monday to make up a squad of 15 players.

Ramnaresh Sarwan, the former Guyana and West Indies captain, is one of only two players who have not been selected by their territorial sides. Sarwan was choosen by the Red Force.

Barbados allrounder Rayman Reifer is the other player selected by a franchise outside of his home territory. Reifer was drafted by the Guyana franchise.

The six franchises that participated in the player draft consist of the chaiman of selectors and the head coach.