Six players have so far utilised the new player loan system introduced by the Bermuda Cricket Board this season.

With the aim to keep clubs as competitive as possible during the course of the 50 Overs campaign, the board’s cricket committee have approved six loan deals.

Devonshire Rec have been the most active team in the market, picking up three players. The club have signed Lorenzo Simmons, from Bailey’s Bay, and former St David’s duo Shaquille Pitcher and Zakai Minors.

Makai Young is now playing for Western Stars after starting the season at Cleveland, while Southampton Rangers, who were decimated in the close season by the loss of seven players, have picked up Quilahn Richardson from Warwick and Swayne Campbell from Western Stars

Calvin Blankendal, the BCB executive director, feels that the loan system ensures that players get much needed game time and that the island’s club cricket system must continue to be robust.

“The main emphasis is that all players have the opportunity to play,” Blankendal said.

“Also all clubs can have access to a competitive squad and competitive players. We have to keep our clubs alive and keep as many players playing as possible.”

There are a number of restrictions to the policy with players only allowed to go out on loan once a year and the player must receive written confirmation of the agreement between the two clubs, as per the BCB player loan form.

Any loan player is restricted from playing against the primary club they are registered with to avoid any concerns of match fixing and the application must be filed by noon on a Tuesday to be vetted for matches taking place on the following Saturday or Sunday.

No player movement is permitted by the BCB during the final three rounds of any competition during the 2023 season in order to curb club arrangements that could be viewed as match manipulation.

Any player in the national squad is not eligible to go on loan to a team in a lower division than they are playing in, with a national team player defined as cricketers who have signed the BCB player agreement at any time during the 2023 domestic season.