Cricket Kenya are set to introduce a new contract-based system for all their players in a move aimed at having a widespread and lasting effect on the game in the country.
“We will introduce contract system to all the elite and national team players in a bid to bridge the gap between the elite and the emerging players in the country,” CK’s Players Affairs manager Kalpesh Solanki said.
“We are in the process of preparing a system that will incorporate all the players that are capable of putting on the national colours. We have already identified a number of them and as soon as everything is ready, we will roll out the plan.”
Solanki said they have been forced to come up with the system to try and bring to an end the push and pull witnessed recently between the board and players.
Before the ongoing Covid19 pandemic forced for postponement of a number of sports events both locally and internationally, Kenya was due to host the inaugural Africa T20 Cup.
However, the country was yet to start preparations due to the players’ contracts tussle. Efforts to have meetings to solve the impasse have not been fruitful either because the players do not agree on the contracts or there has been no quorum for the meetings.
Solanki hinted that they are planning on making the new contracts all-inclusive so that even the youngest and inexperienced of the lot can have something to work with.
“We want to have something for all the selected players. We don’t want a situation where some players feel they are the best and the other lot feels inferior,” Solanki said.
Domestic players who don’t make it to international cricket or don’t make the final team cut, have a chance to see their careers flourishing, according to the former CK development manager.
“Many young cricketers were on the verge of giving up on the sport because they felt they can’t make a career if they are not selected for any tour. If they get a fixed contract, then we stand to save many careers,” he said.
“Given the 60 plus cricketers involved in the CK emerging squads’ competition in February, this will be among the biggest operations undertaken by the association,” he added.
Former national team opening bowler Martin Suji welcomed the move saying it will also save many careers. “A number of youngsters have quit because the national team is like a closed shop whereby if you are not ranked among the top 14, you are as good as out,” he added.
“These proposals are what is needed as they will change the players’ mentality. It doesn’t make sense attending training with no assurance of being selected,” he added.