January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Cricketers to get paid to play
The rest of the squad will get match fees and win bonuses while players selected for academies will also be compensated.
There will be additional payments for players who do not get paid by their regular jobs while on tour with the team.
It is understood that the new deal does not include the $10,000-a-month put up by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford for player payments in the run up to his Caribbean 20/20 tournament in Antigua.
Under the new contracts the cricket board will be able to ban players from being involved in other sports at key times for the national team.
The extensive compensation package, back dated to last November, comes as sports chiefs attempt to level the playing field ahead of the World Cup.
Bermuda will be competing against some of the world's most talented and well paid sportsmen at West Indies 2007 and it is hoped the cash will help them prepare properly.
The BCB declined yesterday to divulge the amount the contracted players will be paid from taxpayer's money, but the Bermuda Sun understands it's $1,200-a-month. The ten chosen players — Clay Smith, Janeiro Tucker, Irving Romaine, Dean Minors, Dwayne Leverock, Ryan Steede, Kevin Hurdle, Lionel Cann, Hasan Durham and Saleem Mukuddem — are on six month central contracts until April (from last November). The number of contracted players and the time-periods of the contracts will then be reviewed.
Player rep Dean Minors said the team were pleased with the deal but admitted it added extra pressure.
"Once you put a number on anything the responsibility is greater. We are up against players that this is their profession. We are working and trying to put the effort in.
"I want to make it very clear that this is not about us, it is about the future development of cricket in Bermuda.
"In four years time we want to qualify again for the World Cup."
He said they had suffered a hard-time in Dubai, where Bermuda lost 5-0 to the UAE in a one-day series, but were looking forward to moving on to better things.
Vice-captain Janeiro Tucker, who also plays football for Commercial side Key West Rangers, said he was not too worried about being asked to give up his football.
"It's just for fitness, really. My focus is on cricket, the World Cup and the road ahead. I don't need to play football."
Reg Pearman, of the BCB, commended the players collaboration in the contract negotiations hailing the deal as 'rational and fair'. He added: "It rewards good performance and encourages excellence in all aspects of player development from training, nutrition, deportment to on-field performances."
Sports minister Dale Butler said it was important that no player was disadvantaged by representing his country.
He said the Government was behind the team and hoped the financial package, made possible by it's $11 million investment in the sport, would help them 'acquit themselves admirably'.[[In-content Ad]]
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