West Indies only offer eight central contracts

The caribbeancricket.com website has revealed that only eight players have been offered annual retainer contract by the West Indies Cricket Board.

The website quotes a source as saying that ten players scored enough qualifying points to be awarded the contracts, but the board's well-documented financial problems meant it had to limit the number it could offer. The plan is to add players concurrent with an improvement in the WICB's financial position, the source added.

The main surprise on the list is the inclusion of Denesh Ramdin who has been in moderate form of late.

The contracts are not expected to be offered for a few weeks yet, and the players are not obliged to accept them.

Centrally-contracted players Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Brian Lara, Denesh Ramdin, Ramnaresh Sarwan.