The West Indies Cricket Board's selection eligibility rule for the senior West Indies cricket team has been changed.

This decision was taken following a recent WICB directors' meeting that reviewed the selection eligibility rule.

"The new rule that becomes effectively immediately states that a player will be eligible for selection to the senior West Indies team when he makes himself available for selection to his national team in a competition immediately preceding the selection of a senior West Indies team," remarked Gregory Shillingford, chief executive of the WICB.

He added: "In the end, they have decided to adopt a policy that they hope will lead to the creation of better opportunities all around and ensure that our cricket once more returns to a position of strength."

Shillingford noted the WICB's directors considered a number of factors that would impact upon the eligibility rule, and thought long and hard about how best they could satisfy all stakeholders.

"First, the directors had to ensure that its valued sponsors obtained a fair return for their investment in the game," said Shillingford.

"But they also had to consider that a cricketer's career and livelihood is generally enhanced by their ability to ply their trade in a professional environment, and we the directors accepted that we do not have such a professional setup in the West Indies at present nor are we able to support a retainer system.

"They also felt that the best possible talent from the region should be available for selection to the West Indies selectors."

In prior years, selection to senior West Indies teams depended on players being available for all matches in the regional first-class and limited-overs competition, but the directors voted by a majority of 13-1 to change the rule.

Rev. Wes Hall, president of the WICB, "This should demonstrate how agreeable many of the directors find the new ruling. We noted and appreciated the views of the director that voted against the rule.

"But we feel this change represents a first step to addressing the new competitive requirements of the rigourous 10-year tour programme of the International Cricket Council that involves teams playing at least 15 Tests and 25 limited-overs internationals annually."

Shillingford concluded that the WICB now had to focus on acquiring the resources that will allow it to be in a position to offer the players retainer contracts and set up a professional league at the club and/or regional level.

"This means we will also have to look at the way we schedule and structure our competitions so they provide our players with the kind of environment that will lead to outstanding performances," he stated.

© WICB