Russell receives CWI blessings for LPL

ANDRE Russell is getting support from Cricket West Indies (CWI) to compete in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) T20 tournament as he will be issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to compete in the franchise tournament.

On October 16, Russell told CWI lead selector Roger Harper that he opted not to tour New Zealand because he wanted “to clear his head” and he was “going from one lockdown (tournament) to another.”

On October 19, Russell was selected by the Colombo Kings in round two for US $50,000 to compete in the Sri Lanka tournament. His LPL earnings are not comparable to what he earned in the Indian Premier League. The Jamaican made a whopping US $981,400 as a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders.

On October 26, Russell then pulled out of the tournament because of injury. Earlier this week, it was revealed that Russell would compete in the LPL.

Russell will be representing the Kings from Thursday, one day before the three-match T20 series between West Indies and New Zealand bowls off.

In a Whatsapp message, to Newsday, on Wednesday, CWI president Ricky Skerritt said, “An NOC has been received by CWI. It is being processed.”

Russell is not a contracted player and has the right to choose franchise T20 cricket over West Indies.

CWI CEO Johnny Grave, in a Whatsapp message on Wednesday at noon, said, “He is not a contracted player and we would never stop a player from playing cricket and earning money so we will issue his NOC later today.”

On Tuesday, speaking to journalists on Zoom, West Indies head coach Phil Simmons said he was not aware that Russell was in Sri Lanka.

The CWI president said in a perfect world they would like players to choose West Indies before other leagues.

In an interview on the SportsMax Zone on October 19, Skerritt said, “Is that something that we like to hear? Of course not. We would like to believe that it is country above self, West Indies above leagues and so on but our policy is very straightforward since I have come to the fore bearing in mind the legal situation.”

The courts told CWI that they can’t prevent players from plying their trade elsewhere if they are not contracted.

Skerritt said players will not be penalised for choosing leagues over West Indies cricket.

“That is where we differ with the previous administration. Players will not be punished. Selectors will not become disciplinarians. Selectors will pick the best available players who want to play at that time or who are obligated as in the case of contracted (players).”