THE CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE IS BACK!
The 6 weeks of carnival cricket returns for its 12th edition with plenty of excitement focused on the region.
Whilst Guyana Amazon Warriors look to retain their 2023 title, Cricket District are right in the mix with Toby, Jack and, of course, Nikhil watching on with a front row seat. My own ticket must be lost in the post somewhere as unfortunately, I’ve only been able to watch on from an Autumnal London.
Our team have been able to get up close and personal with the sides to see some of the star talent up close.
The CPL has always been a great competition to watch, one of the reasons being the talent that it displays - both regional and international.
Amongst the usual suspects, the likes of Alzarri Joseph, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Nicholas Pooran - there are sprinklings of young players with bags of talent with Jewel Andrew sparkling the brightest.
There are overseas players who have gathered cult status in the region for their time spent in the CPL: Faf Du Plessis, Colin Munro, Shoaib Malik, David Weise and Chris Green. In fact, it was the CPL that really allowed Chris Green to put his name out onto the franchise world beyond Australia.
The CPL does have a knack of developing and introducing players to the T20 franchise circuit. If you’re good to the CPL, the CPL can certainly be good to you in return.
This year alone, there are a number of international imports from all over the world looking to make an impact - some in the very early days of their T20 careers. With the eyes on the world on the competition, it’s a great opportunity to impress and to audition for further deals.
So who are the players who will be hoping to audition at this year’s CPL?
Waqar Salamkheil
It would be unfair to say that Waqar Salamkheil has not made much of an impact outside of Afghanistan having plied his trade in Pakistan, the USA, South Africa and Sri Lanka as well as picking up a Test cap in 2019 but it is the CPL where he’s made most of his appearances.
At the time of writing, over a fifth of his 50 T20 professional appearances have come in the CPL having first come to the Caribbean last year for the 2023 CPL.
With an enviable average of under 16 in the competition at aged only 22, Waqar will certainly be someone to keep an eye on after another successful CPL season with Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Josh Clarkson
New Zealand all rounder Clarkson has been in the professional game nearly 9 years but it has only been in the last year or so that he has had an opportunity for higher honours as he picked up 9 white ball appearances for the Black Caps between last December and April.
This stint for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots marks his first venture into franchise cricket outside of New Zealand at the age of 27 as a late substitute for Tristan Stubbs’ absence from the CPL.
Whilst his batting has been called on more than his bowling, he has still managed to pick up 2 wickets for only 18 runs in the one spell granted to him against the St Lucia Kings. A few red inkers down the order haven’t allowed him to properly affect many games yet.
Andries Gous
Gous celebrates a wicket with another member on this list Waqar Salamkheil (Credit: CPL)
USA international and former South African U19 player Andries Gous has had some significant T20 experience before. His name may be familiar to those who follow some of the larger non-full member franchise leagues where Gous has turned out for Washington Freedom, Toronto Nationals and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.
His T20 World Cup performances were also something to behold with a high score of 80* in Antigua against the country of his birth, South Africa. His performances in the tournament made him the highest American entry on the MVP list in 26th place.
Returning to the region after the World Cup, Gous was picked up by the Trinbago Knight Riders and hit 39 on debut on his return to North Sound in Antigua.
At the age of 30, Gous may not have too many more opportunities to make it on the franchise circuit but the CPL has granted him an opportunity to go up against some of the best in the game. At the very least it will give him some good experience in between T20 World Cups.
Aaron Jones
Another American international, Aaron Jones stole headlines from the more consistent Gous with a scintillating and match winning 94 not out in the opening game of the 2024 T20 World Cup against Canada.
Jones is a familiar face in the region having grown up in Barbados despite being born in the US. As such, Jones is able to play as a local player on his Bajan passport rather than taking up an overseas spot for the St Lucia Kings.
Surprisingly, despite his performances at the T20 World Cup, this is Jones’ first appearance in the CPL despite previously being previously on the books at St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
After a summer of form, Jones will look to build on what he achieved at the World Cup.
Tim Robinson
Big hitting batter Robinson is making his first franchise tournament appearances out sides of New Zealand’s Super Smash where he’s made an indelible mark on the competition already. Last season he recorded the second-highest individual score of all time in the last edition of the Smash scoring an unbelievable 139 off just 64 balls.
Considered to be one of the next cohort of talented Black Caps into the white ball set up, Robinson made his international debut in a series away in Pakistan earlier this year where he made some encouraging scores.
Guyana is a far cry from Wellington but the CPL will allow the inexperienced Robinson an opportunity to rub shoulders with some T20 greats and take some learnings that will serve him well.
Tim Robinson of Guyana Amazon Warriors
(Credit: CPL)
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