Selectors name 17

St. Vincent and the Grenadines senior cricket selectors have reduced the training squad to 17 to attempt to regain the Windward Islands title.{{more}}

Among the seventeen are fast bowlers Dellorn Johnson and Dawnley Grant, both of whom are in the West Indies Under-19 provisional squad for the 2008 Youth World Cup in Malaysia.

The other fast bowlers in the trimmed squad are Deighton Butler, Norlan Williams and Kenroy Peters.

Butler, the team’s captain, and Peters will be back in time for the September 24 to October 7 Tournament to be staged here. The two play professional cricket in the English leagues.

The spinners short-listed are top wicket taker in the 2007 local RBTT Premier Division competition Orlanzo Jackson, his runner up Mahlon John, Dyke Cato and Keiron Cottoy, who was mysteriously omitted by the Windwards selectors to the 2007 TCL West Indies Under19 Tournament held in St. Kitts and Nevis last July and August.

The top order batting sees the youthful Wayne Harper, fresh from the regional Under-19 Tournament for the Windwards in the mix, along with the temperamental but talented left handed Harley Skerritt and the consistent Mc Leon Williams getting the selectors’ nod.

Windwards Under-19 captain Lauron Francois, Hyron Shallow, and the promising Donwell Hector carry the weight in the middle order. Shallow, who also plays in the Leagues in England, rejoins the squad, despite not appearing in this year’s local cricket season. Peters, like Shallow, did not turn out in the local competition.

Two wicket keepers, Lynden James, the incumbent, and Windwards’ first choice and the hard-hitting Salvan Browne, a former Windwards Under-19 player, complete the 17.

However, no place was found for fast bowler Hank Hall, who was the beneficiary of an expensive one week investment to the Denis Lillee fast bowling camp in India just over two years ago.

Hall has gone off the boil after showing great promise at the Under-19 level.

Also missing from the local team for another year is opening batsman Rommel Currency, who is continuing his studies at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados.

He was joined by his opening partner Miles Bascombe, who will miss out on this year’s Tournament also, as he, too, has gone off to do undergraduate studies at UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados..

The final 13 is expected to be named days prior to the Tournament. Irvin Warrican is the team’s coach, and Peter Campbell, manager.(RT)