The latest Saint Lucian cricketer called up to the West Indies team has now been named among 14 women receiving historic year-long contracts from Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Monday.
All-rounder Nerissa Crafton joins fellow West Indies player Zaida James, who is presently on a retainer contract with the regional governing body.
A left-handed batter and medium-pace bowler, the 26-year-old ‘Breezy’ was part of the squad that competed in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in October.
West Indies women’s head coach Shane Deitz said that Crafton’s selection was based on a strong regional campaign, followed by an impressive showing at a recent training camp in Antigua & Barbuda.
CWI calls the award of the contracts “a groundbreaking milestone in West Indies cricket.” This first-time initiative is a significant step forward in CWI’s strategic commitment to Elite and High Performance cricket and signals a continued investment in the growth of the women’s game in the Caribbean.
The addition of these 14 contracts brings the total of contracted regional players to 104 for the year, and 164 in total including senior and Academy players.
CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, noted the significance of this initiative:
“Awarding contracts to these talented female players underscores CWI’s commitment to advancing cricket in the region,” he said. “We are extremely proud of the Maroon Warriors, who are on their way back from an impressive semifinal showing at the Women’s T20 World Cup.
“The only way to ensure that West Indies teams, both men and women, have consistent showings at the international level is to ensure the development and growth at the regional level. CWI is dedicated to making this further investment in our regional talent and building a strong foundation for future success, which is in line with our strategic plan.
“These contracts reinforce CWI’s goal of supporting players as they progress along the pathway to elite performance, creating a sustainable pipeline of talent that can perform on the global stage. Alongside the female contracts, CWI has also renewed annual contracts for 90 male players across six territories, maintaining its commitment to building regional strength across both men’s and women’s cricket.”
Female Contracted Players:
Barbados: Shanika Bruce, Alisa Scantlebury
Guyana: Shenetta Grimmond, Plaffiana Millington, Mandy Mangru
Jamaica: Celina Whyte
Trinidad & Tobago: Shalini Samaroo, KD Jazz Mitchell, Reniece Boyce
Leeward Islands: Melicia Clarke, Kimberley Anthony
Windward Islands: Earnisha Fontaine, Abini St Jean, Nerissa Crafton
(PR/TF)
