Pope gets senior team ordination

Teenaged left-handed opening batsman Gidron Pope is the lone newcomer to the St Vincent and the Grenadines’ senior cricket team for the 2014 Windward Islands two-day competition.{{more}}

Pope, who has represented St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Windwards at the Under-15 and Under-17 levels, also the Windwards at the Under-19, is among the 13 selected to defend the title set for St Lucia, October 30 to November 5.

Among his achievements in 2014 was his double century, scored in the United Insurance Secondary Schools’ Competition – the first in the competition’s history.

Pope, who is also a handy bowler, captured the most wickets in the Windwards Under-19 competition held here in June.

He was also one of main scorers (including a century) in the trial matches organized to select the St Vincent and the Grenadines’ senior team.

While Pope gets his ordination, Asif Hooper, along with Casmond Walters, Romario Bibby and Desron Maloney make up the four reserves named.

Hooper, Walters and Maloney were part of the winning unit of the 20/20 version last year.

But, making a return to senior duties are right-handed batsman Marvin Small and right-arm fast bowler, Kesrick Williams.

St Vincent and the Grenadines will, however, only have to defend their two-day title, as the 20/20 competition has been shelved.

Once again, leading the Vincentians is wicket keeper batsman Lindon James.

The rest of the team is Romel Currency, Miles Bascombe, Donwell Hector, Alston Bobb, Rodney Lawrence, Keron Cottoy, Kenneth Dembar, Delorn Johnson and Dawnley Grant.

A release from the St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association noted that middle order batsman Sunil Ambris, who is on duty with the West Indies A team in Sri Lanka, and left-arm medium fast bowler Kenroy Peters are unavailable.

Meanwhile, the release added that right-arm fast bowler Ray Jordan was not considered, as he is undergoing his “rehabilitation process.”

Jordan’s bowling action was deemed illegal, after undergoing bio-mechanics testing in Australia, earlier this year.

Deighton Butler, a former St Vincent and the Grenadines, Windwards and West Indies One Day bowler, is the team’s coach, with Ortis Jack manager.(RT)