PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — A West Indies Cricket Board director says he has no qualms with the decision by Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard to opt out of the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship in favour of Australia’s lucrative Big Bash.

The duo confirmed recently they would not represent Trinidad and Tobago in the January 10-23 tournament in Antigua and Barbados, as they had secured contracts in the Australian T20 league.

“In modern day sport, we always have the club versus country issue but one has to understand that the players must live, they need to earn a living and there is only a specific time that they are marketable as cricketers,” said Baldath Mahabir, also T&T’s cricket chief.

“They need to maximise their earnings and one has to keep this in mind, when we look at the situation concerning Bravo and Pollard.”

Bravo will turn out for Victoria while Pollard will ply his trade for South Australia, in the competition that runs from December 30 to February 5.

Both players also turned out last year in the Big Bash but with the CT20 held in July, were still able to play in the Caribbean’s premier T20 tournament.

However, by not playing for their country, they have effectively ruled themselves out of playing for the West Indies in T20 Internationals for the next year.

“The West Indies Cricket Board has certain selection criteria in place and the guys would have to respect that and move accordingly,” Mahabir said.

“Those guys, although being the top men in the team, were with us for the 2010 version and we did not win. Guyana without a Pollard or Bravo went on to win the tournament.

“This situation now gives other players a chance to step up and come into their own. This is an ideal situation for a youngster to come forward and stake a claim.”