West Indies hopefuls in quest of regional U-19 cricket glory

Young cricketers under the age of 19 will, from tomorrow, engage in the West Indies Cricket Board’s regional three-day cricket tournament here in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

The tournament returns to these shores for the first time since 2005.

Seen as the training ground and feeder for the senior West Indies team, some of the players who were part of the 2005 outing have gone on to either play test, One Day International or Twenty/ 20 Internationals for the regional team.{{more}}

Among those who were here 11 years ago and who have gone on to represent the West Indies in test are Guyanese Leon Johnson and Vereesammy Permaul; Omar Phillips and Kemar Roach ­– Barbados; Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo and Sunil Narine – Trinidad and Tobago; Andre Russell – Jamaica; along with Nellon Pascal and Kieron Powell of the Windward Islands and Leeward Islands, respectively.

Notably, Trinidadian Kieran Pollard and André Fletcher of the Windwards have played for the West Indies in the shorter forms, One Day Internationals and Twenty/20 Internationals.

Also on Trinidad and Tobago’s roster in 2005 was Jason Mohammed, who has a pair of ODIs to his name, while Guyanese Christopher Barnwell has appeared in six T/20 Internationals for the West Indies.

This time around, Vincentians would get an opportunity to see some of the players who featured in the West Indies Under-19 team, which lifted for the first time the ICC World Cup in February in Bangladesh.

Among some of the “future stars” to be on show would be the Barbadian duo of Shamar Springer and Chemar Holder, along with Keeno Paul of Guyana.

In the Windwards’ camp are Ryan John and Emmanuel Stewart, while Trinidad and Tobago has Kristan Kallicharan.

Round one of the three-day tournament begins tomorrow, July 27 and ends Friday, July 29.

At the Park Hill Playing Field, defending champions Guyana take on Jamaica, with Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, facing off at Arnos Vale One.

And, at Sion Hill, the Windward Islands host the Leeward Islands.

The second round, which starts on Sunday, pits Guyana against the Leeward Islands – Arnos Vale One, with Trinidad and Tobago and the Windward Islands squaring off at Park Hill and Jamaica versus Barbados at Sion Hill.

The third and final round runs August 4 to August 6, with Jamaica taking on the Leeward Islands at the Stubbs Playing Field; Barbados face the Windward Islands at Arnos Vale One and Guyana meet Trinidad and Tobago at Sion Hill.

However, when the tournament shifts gear to the One Day 50-over competition, all six territories, plus the ICC Americas will face each other in a round robin set-up.

This 50-over competition will be staged August 10 to 21.

The regional Under-19 cricket tournament dates back almost five decades and was previously known as British American Tobacco Youth Tournament, Benson and Hedges Youth Championships, the Neal and Massy Youth Tournament, Nortel Youth Tournament and the TCL Group Under-19 Tournament.(RT)