Record payouts for CWI championships

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Cricket West Indies (CWI) is poised to shell out nearly a quarter-million United States dollars in prize money for the Regional Super50 Cup, a record payout for the 50-over championship.

Scheduled for October 17 to November 11, the tournament winners will snag US$100,000 while the losing finalists will take away $50,000. For the first time, the team topping the table in the league phase will earn another $50,000.

The increased payout extends to next year's West Indies first-class championship and the Women's Super50 Cup and Twenty20 Blaze, resulting in nearly US$2.5 million in prize money and bonuses to be distributed over the next four years.

"The aim is to incentivise our cricketers, which will ultimately result in more intense and competitive cricket," said CWI president Dr Kishore Shallow.

"We expect this, along with other developmental programmes, will help to close the gap between international cricket and our regional tournaments.

"These new prize monies represent a significant increase in the reward purse for teams in regional cricket.

"We firmly believe this will be a fillip to players' performances and their pursuit of excellence. This is part of our investment in the game and those who fly the flag on the field."

Eight teams will contest the Super50 Cup, to be played in Trinidad across three venues - Queen's Park Oval, the Brian Lara Stadium, and the UWI Sport and Physical Education Centre (UWI SPEC) at the St Augustine Campus.

The tournament will feature West Indies stars Shai Hope, Rovman Powell, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shimron Hetmyer, and Alzarri Joseph.

There has been a massive raise in prize money for the first -class championship slated to be played in the first half of next year, with the champions set to earn a quarter-million US dollars - eight times the amount paid out last year. Second place will receive US$100,000.

Meanwhile, the Women's Super50 Cup winners will receive US$20,000 next year, with a minimum increase of US$10,000 annually over the next four years.

There is also an increase for the T20 Blaze, with the champions taking away US$10,000. Like the Super50 Cup, increases will be made over the next four-year cycle.

CWI also said there would be "further increases" for individual players and "a major boost" in pay for women's players once the memorandum of understanding with the players' union, WIPA, was finalised.