New first-class season will improve Windies: WICB president Dave Cameron

Bridgetown (Barbados), Sep 20 (IANS/CMC) The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron says he expects the new franchise-based first-class season to significantly improve the fortunes of the senior national team.

The season, which is scheduled to bowl off in November, will see franchises replacing the traditional territorial sides in a new professional set-up, reports CMC.

"I am very, very excited. What I would like to do is get the players to work as soon as possible do the tournament can be very, very good," Cameron said here Friday.

"This year we're going have 10 (rounds) I am confident that the quality of the play will be much better and my estimation is that in two to three years we will be beating the best teams in the world."

The new first-class structure will see six franchises contracting 15 players each and contesting 10 rounds of matches. Along with the 15 players already contracted at the West Indies level, it means that 105 players will be engaged professionally.

"What we are setting up is for professionals to be on retainers for the next 20 years. The Under-19 players would be coming through, representing the franchises, going on to play for the West Indies for the next 10, 15 years and then going back to finish up with the franchises," Cameron explained.

"I need to make the point (that) just because you are not retained by a franchise, does not mean you would not be able to play regional cricket. It just means you will play on a pay-as-you-play contract and then as you get better, franchises will potentially want to engage you."