Ambris gets double delight

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Under-19 and senior team batsman Sunil Ambris got double delight last week and again earlier this week when he was named in the West Indies Under-19 team to India and called up to the Combined Campuses and Colleges(CCC) trial squad in preparation for the regional One Day Tournament next month.{{more}}

Ambris told SEARCHLIGHT last Tuesday evening that he was delighted at being in the regional selectors’ eyes, but believes the engagement with the CCC might be a bit dicey as it coincides with the West Indies Under-19 tour.

Ambris was looking forward to giving the trials his best shot and possibly playing with his older brother Rommel Currency, who is the limited overs captain for the CCC.

But focusing on the India trip, which is a quadrangular series also involving Sri Lanka, Australia and the host nation, Ambris said his aim is to do his best.

“I will be looking to score as many runs as possible and secure a place for the Youth World Cup,” the right handed Ambris projected.

The International Cricket Council’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup is set for Australia in August 2012.

Ambris, 18, believes that his good run in the 2011 WICB regional Under-19 tournament, staged in Guyana in July and August, put in him in good stead.

In the three-day competition, Ambris struck 247 runs to be fourth in the aggregate. His highest score was 84 against the Leewards. In the one-day limited over competition, Ambris made 217 runs at 43.4 per innings, with a top score of 98 against Trinidad and Tobago.

Ambris, the lone Vincentian to represent the West Indies at the Under-15 level, when he did so in 2008, got his first West Under-19 call up, when he was part of the regional team’ s four match tour to Florida, USA, last July.

Apart from Ambris, two newcomers in Emmanuel Lett and Akeal Hosein of Trinidad and Tobago have made the final cut.

The rest of selectees are Kaveen Hodge of Dominica and the Windwards, Kraigg Brathwaite who is the captain, Anthony Alleyne, Justin Greaves, Jerome Davis and Kyle Mayers from Barbados; Derone Jones, Steven Katwaroo and Amir Khan from Trinidad and Tobago, from Jamaica, John Campbell and Donavan Nelson, and from Guyana, Ronsford Beaton.

Former Barbadian fast bowler Roddy Estwick is the team’s head coach, with former Nevis, Leewards and West Indies opener Stuart Williams, the assistant coach.

Former Jamaica and West indies fast bowler and captain Courtney Walsh is the team’s manager.

The West Indies Under-19 team leaves the region for the sun continent September 22, with their first match against Sri Lanka on September 27. (RT)