BRIDGET* WN Ba rbados. O ft 9: The West Indw -s Cricket Board t tas otle red 20 of its top players oi >e vear < onu.» is in hopes of k eeptng Caribbean talent at home, the board’s chief executive officer said Tuesday, report a AF

Confirming a report . ‘n The Nation newspaper. Sieve Camacho said the initial con tracts

would run until Aupist 311997 and were designea to keep the players in the Caribbean.

Most of our top players now plav professional^ In England and South Africa when they are not plavlng International cricket for the West Indies Camacho said These contracts would ensure they remain at home to help raise the standard of club cricket and to coach."

In the past the board had issued contracts on a per-match or per-tour basis.

The move follows the lead of Australia and South Africa who also have retainer contracts with their best players.

Camacho said the board intends to offer the players longer contracts beginning next year and to add another 30 to the list.

He said the board would finance the initial contracts, which the newspaper estimated at between 15.000 dollars and 60.000 dollars, depending on the experience and status of the player

Camacho and board president Pat Rousseau met with the players last week to discuss the contract offers.

Camacho said the players' response was "most heartening and favourable. He didn’t elaborate.

The contracts would bind the players to the region, preventing them from participating in English county and league cricket in the future.

Those expected to sign include captain Courtney Walsh, who leads Gloucestershire in the English county championship. all-rounder Carl Hooper who plays for Kent, and star batsman Brian Lara, who had earlier hinted at his desire to return to play in England where he amassed his record first-class score of 501 not out for Warwickshire in 1994

"We aren t telling the players where they can't ^ay." Cama-c ho said We are trying to pro-

teci the future of West Indies cricket and you can only protect it by looking after it from its origin to its end."

The following players were offered contracts: Courtney Walsh Brian Lara. Sherwin Ci-mpbell. Robert Samuels. Jimmy Adams. Carl Hooper. Shiv-narine Chanderpaul. Adrian Griffith. Roland Holder. Courtney Browne. Junior Murray. Curtly Ambrose, lan Bishop.

Kenny Benjamin. Nixon McLean Patterson Thompson. Stuart Williams. Cameron Cufly Colin Stuart and Ottis

The first 16 will tour Australia between November and February Williams. Cufly. Stuart and Gibson will be on the West Indies "A" team, which Is scheduled to play in Sri Lanka next month.