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West Indies U19

18-man West Indies U19 squad named for England tour

The squad will be led by Ackeem Auguste with Giovonte Depeiza as vice-captain. Auguste is a left-handed top-order batsman while Depeiza is a left-arm spinner and right-handed middle-order batsman.

“This trip to England is part of the preparation for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup next year and will prove valuable experience for these young men. We have a very good combination, and it is really pleasing to see we have quality all-round cricketers in the group, which gives us more options,” said Robert Haynes, the lead selector for the U19s.

“The conditions in England will be challenging, and they know that, but they have fantastic management support in the set-up, including Sir Curtly Ambrose whose experience and knowledge will be an asset.

“We started the selection process four weeks ago, with 60 very talented youngsters from all across the region. It wasn’t easy cutting the squad down. But if you look at the balance in the bowling attack we have now selected, with six fast bowlers and three specialist spinners, you can see we have selected a quality attack. We also have some naturally gifted batsmen who we expect to perform well. The work that everyone has put in to get these guys here to this level has been exceptional.”

Rohan Nurse will lead the coaching staff as the Acting Head Coach, as Floyd Reifer is unavailable due to prior contractual arrangements with the Caribbean Premier League.

The tour will feature six Youth One-Day Internationals at The County Ground, Beckenham and The Polo Farm, Canterbury from Saturday, September 4 to Friday, September 17.

The West Indies Rising Stars U19s squad was selected following an eight-match trials series with 60 players. From there the squad was reduced to 26 players who were then involved in more intensive targeted high-performance coaching and simulation sessions.

The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup will be hosted by Cricket West Indies from January 4 to February 3, 2022.

West Indies U19 ‘Rising Stars’ Squad

CAPTAIN: Ackeem Auguste Age: 17 (Left-hand bat/right-arm leg-spin)

VICE CAPTAIN: Giovonte Depeiza Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/left-arm spin)

Onaje Amory Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm off-spin)

Anderson Amurdan Age: 18 (Right-hand opening bat)

Justin Beckford Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm off-spin)

Teddy Bishop Age: 18 (Right-hand opening bat)

Carlon Bowen-Tuckett Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/wicket-keeper)

McKenny Clarke Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/right-arm fast)

Rivaldo Clarke Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/wicket-keeper)

Nathan Edward Age: 16 (Left-hand bat/left-arm fast-medium)

Andel Gordon Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/left-arm medium-pace)

Sion Hackett Age: 18 (Right-hand bat/right-arm medium-fast)

Justin Jagessar Age: 16 (Right-hand bat)

Johann Layne Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm fast-medium)

Anderson Mahase Age: 18 (Left-hand bat/left-arm spin)

Matthew Nandu Age:18 (Left-hand bat/right-arm off-spin)

Isai Thorne Age: 16 (Right-hand bat/right-arm fast)

Vasant Singh Age: 17 (Right-hand bat/right-arm leg-spin)

Support Staff

 Rohan Nurse (Acting Head Coach)

Sir Curtly Ambrose (Assistant Coach)

Steve Liburd (Assistant Coach)

Junie Mitcham (Team Manager)

Avenesh Seetaram (Analyst)

Alex Forde (Strength & Conditioning Coach)

Lyndon Knights (Physiotherapist)

Match schedule

Saturday, September 4: 1st Youth ODI – Beckenham

Monday, September 6: 2nd Youth – Beckenham

Wednesday, September 8: 3rd Youth ODI – Beckenham

Friday, September 10: 4th Youth ODI – Canterbury

Tuesday, September 14: 5th Youth ODI – Canterbury

Friday, September 17: 6th Youth ODI – Canterbury

Australia Under-19s defeat West Indies Under-19s by six wickets in World Cup opener

Australia’s opening pair of Wyllie and Corey Miller marched to the crease in pursuit of their target of 170.

Opening bowlers Johann Layne and Shiva Sankar started the innings with tight bowling and the pressure paid off when Layne removed Miller for a duck to leave the Aussies 5-1 in the third over.

Sankar then got in on the action by removing number three Isaac Higgins for nine to leave the Australians 21-2 off 7.5 overs.

After 11 overs, Australia was 45-2 with Wyllie (17) and captain Cooper Connolly (12) at the crease.

After Connolly and Willey put together a solid partnership, it was broken by Onaje Amory in the 18th over when he removed Connolly for 23 to leave the Australians 74-3.

Australia after 20 overs were 77-3 with Wyllie on 36 and Nivethan Radhakrishnan on two.

Looking extremely comfortable at the crease, Wyllie (46) and Radhakrishnan (12) carried the Australian total past 100.

Soon after, Willey brought up his fifty, off 83 balls, in the 30th over.

Australia lost their fourth wicket when Radhakrishnan was dismissed in the 39th over by Matthew Nandu for 31 to leave the score at 139-4.

After 40 overs, Australia were 154-4 with Wyllie still batting on 79 and Campbell Kellaway on one.

The Aussies eventually got to 170-4 off 44.5 overs to register the six-wicket win.

Wyllie was voted man of the match.

Earlier, West Indies Under-19s were restricted to 169 all out in 40.1 overs, with captain Ackeem Auguste getting 57 and Rivaldo Clarke contributing 37 against three-wicket hauls from Tom Whitney (3-20 from 8.1 overs), Nivethan Radhakrishnan (3-48 from 10 overs) and captain Cooper Connolly (3-17 from 7 overs).

In the other Group D match today, Sri Lanka Under 19s (218 all out from 50 overs) beat Scotland Under-19s (178 all out from 48.4 overs) by 40 runs.

Both West Indies U-19s and Australia U-19s next games will be on Monday, January 17 against Scotland Under-19s and Sri Lanka Under-19s, respectively.

Captain Ackeem Auguste says West Indies Under-19s confident ahead of World Cup

West Indies U-19s will open their bid to capture their first title since the 2016 edition when they face Australia Under-19s at Providence Stadium in Guyana.

“I think we’re fairly confident. We’ve prepared very well as a unit and did our own personal training so I think going into the game, it’s important that we stick to the basics for as long as possible and just enjoy it,” Auguste said, speaking to the media on Thursday.

The captain also expressed the sentiment that the unity of the squad is good heading into the tournament.

“I think the camaraderie amongst the boys is very good. We’re gelling well as a unit,” he said.

When asked about the plans for the game against Australia on Friday, Auguste again emphasized sticking to the basics as much as possible.

“The plan is to just stick to the basics for as long as possible, encourage each other, pull each other along, and just play the game hard,” he added.

CWI President Skerritt congratulates, encourages members of U19 squad selected for England tour

Skerritt also congratulated the players on their selection to the 18-member squad. He also reminded them of their responsibility to represent the people in the West Indies and to be ambassadors for the region on and off the field.

“We congratulate you on your selection to the West Indies Rising Stars U19 team for this tour. You have been chosen to represent the people of the West Indies and this is a great honour. This is a stage in your development we want to assure you that you have our full support as you embark on this stage of your journey,” Skerritt said.

“We want you to work hard, to support each other and always give us your best. You are from different countries, but you are now representing the West Indies and that is the most important thing.”

The West Indies Rising Stars U19s will be led by Ackeem Auguste, a left-handed top-order batsman. The vice-captain is Giovonte Depeiza, a right-handed middle-order batsman who also bowls left-arm spin. The six matches will be played at The County Ground, Beckenham and The Polo Farm, Canterbury from Saturday, September 4 to Friday, September 17. This is part of their preparations for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup to be hosted by CWI from January 4 to February 3, 2022.

Fixtures confirmed for Super Six stage of U19 Men’s World Cup 2024; West Indies to play Sri Lanka and Australia

Qualified Teams

The Super Six will involve the top three sides from each of the four round-robin groups, with teams progressing from Groups A and D comprising one Group, and those from B and C the other.

Crucially, each team carries forward the points and NRR they earned against fellow Super Six qualifying teams.

The six teams to make it from Groups A and D are India, Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Nepal.

South Africa, England, West Indies, Australia, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe progress from Groups B and C.

USA, Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland – the four teams who didn't make the second stage of the tournament – will contest in play-offs for the last four places.

Super Six format

The teams will play two matches in the Super Six stage against their opponents from the corresponding group who finished in a different position in their group. That means India (toppers of Group A) will face off against New Zealand (second position in Group D), and Nepal (third position in Group D).

The top two sides from the two Super Six groups will then progress to the semi-final stage.

The two semi-finals are scheduled to be held on 6 and 8 February. The final is set to take place on 11 February, with all three knockout games set to take place in Benoni.

Below are the complete fixtures of the Super Six Stage:

30 January

India v New Zealand in Bloemfontein

Sri Lanka v West Indies in Kimberley

Pakistan v Ireland in Potchefstroom

31 January

Nepal v Bangladesh in Bloemfontein

Australia v England in Kimberley

Zimbabwe v South Africa in Potchefstroom

02 February

India v Nepal in Bloemfontein

West Indies v Australia in Kimberley

South Africa v Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom

03 February

Pakistan v Bangladesh in Benoni

New Zealand v Ireland in Bloemfontein

England v Zimbabwe in Potchefstroom

The West Indies will begin the Super Six third in group two with two points thanks to their group stage win over England, trailing Sri Lanka (2) and Australia (4).

Graeme West backs Windies U19s to show their quality

The team is gaining confidence after wins in the two warm-up games against Canada and Scotland. All 15 players are fit and available for selection as the team begins their preparations for the opening group game against Australia.

West provided a detailed account of the team’s work as they prepare to start the ICC U19 World Cup which West Indies famously won in 2016.

“The two warm-up games were certainly competitive and provided all squad members with opportunities to demonstrate their skills and show that they had made the necessary adjustments to the conditions and wickets to be effective,” said West.

“The Scotland performance was an improvement on the Canada game when Nyeem Young and Antonio Morris batted superbly to turn the game around.

“The bowling unit was slightly below par against Canada given how well they have performed since the Tri-Series in December, but on Wednesday against Scotland we were far more controlled and disciplined.”

West said the most pleasing aspect of the Scotland game was the contribution from the top four batters, who needed time in the middle.

“Kevlon Anderson’s hundred was well-paced as he mixed good strike rotation with some power hitting. Captain Kimani Melius and Leonardo Julien set the tempo for the innings with run-a-ball half-centuries on a wicked that was well suited to their stroke play and positive intent,” West said.

“We are well aware of the quality Australia and England possess  and both games will provide great opportunities for our players to demonstrate the learning that has taken place over the last year, we know we will have to produce a perfect performance to beat both sides.”

He urged the West Indies fans to support the young team as they seek to emulate the title-winning class of 2016.

 “They know the importance of the tournament and the stage they are about to perform on and we would love to have everyone supporting and following us. The boys will be doing everything they can to make their friends, families and all the Windies Cricket fans proud,” he said.

Johnson hits 149 as first Youth Test between Sri Lanka U19s and West indies U19s ends in a draw

The West Indies entered Friday’s fourth and final day on 119-3 off 31.5 overs, a deficit of 313 runs.

Jordan Johnson, who entered the day unbeaten on 54, carried on to make a brilliant 149 off 207 balls including 11 fours and two sixes. Johnson also hit a century in the ODI series.

Steven Wedderburn entered the day on 28 and eventually made 41 while Nathan Edward contributed 36 as the West Indies were eventually bowled out for 309 in 89.5 overs.

Vihas Thewmika took 6-78 off 28.5 overs while Vishwa Lahiru took 3-61 off 24 overs for the hosts.

Sri Lanka then reached 122-4 in their second innings before play was called off and the spoils were shared.

Ravishan Nethsara hit an even 50.

The teams will now turn their attention to the second match beginning on Monday.

Johnson hits 52 but Sri Lanka U19s in strong position at stumps on day one of second Youth Test

Sri Lanka first dismissed the young West Indians for 127 in 36.4 overs after the tourists won the toss and chose to bat.

Left-hander Jordan Johnson followed up his 149 in the last game with a 49-ball 52 including six fours and two sixes while openers Stephan Pascal and Steven Wedderburn hit 28 and 24, respectively.

Vihas Thewmika led the way with the ball for Sri Lanka with 5-43 from 11.4 overs while Malsha Tharupathi took 3-16 from five overs.

Sri Lanka then reached 191-4 off 51 overs at stumps.

Rusanda Gamage was the top scorer with 58 from 52 balls including 10 fours while Ravishan de Silva hit 43 and Pulindu Perera made 41.

Isai Thorne, Deshawn James and Nathan Sealy took the wickets.

Johnson named Player of the Series but West Indies U19s lose by seven wickets to Sri Lanka

Resuming from their overnight score of 251-8 with Johnson on 133 and Tamarie Redwood yet to score, the West Indies U19s, added 26 to their total, bowled out for 277. Johnson added 24 of the runs added but Redwood was run out for two and Deshawn James run out without scoring, leaving Johnson on 157 not out.

Needing just 79 for victory, Sri Lanka 81-3 from just 18.4 overs to secure victory.

Sineth Jayawardene top scored with 30 while Rusanda Gamage was not out on 21 at the end with Ravishan De Silva on 17 at the other end. The pair added 42 runs for the fourth wicket, after the West Indies threatened briefly to have the hosts in a spot of bother at 39-3.

Isai Thorne, 1-29 and Tarrique Edward, 1-16, were the wicket takers for the West Indies in the losing effort.

The West Indies U19 lost but Johnson did not come away empty-handed. For his scores of 149, 52 and 157 not out, he was named Player of the Series.

Scores: West Indies U19 127 and 277 v Sri Lanka U19 326 and 81-3. Sri Lanka winning by seven wickets.

Johnson scores magnificent 133 but West Indies U19 facing uphill battle against Sri Lanka

Johnson scored an unbeaten 133 to help the West Indies to 251-8 at stumps of the second day of their unofficial Test, a lead of just 51 going into Thursday’s third day.

Sri Lanka resuming from their overnight score of 191-4 after dismissing West Indies for a mere 127, extended their lead of 64 to 199, having amassed a first innings total of 326. The home side owed their commanding score to Maisha Tharupathi, who scored 70 batting in the lower order and Rusanda Gamage, who got 58.

There were also useful contributions from Ravishan da Silva (43) as well as wicketkeeper Sharujan Shanmuganathan (36),  Dinura Kalupahana (33) and an unbeaten 31 from Vihas Thewmika.

Nathan Sealy was the best of the West Indies bowling attack taking 4-82 while Isai Thorne took 2-64 and Tarrique Edward 2-75.

Needing 200 runs to overhaul the deficit, the West Indies started well enough reaching 110-2 with Stephan Pascal being the first to go for 25 when the score was 39.  Johnson joined Steve Wedderburn at the crease and together they took the score to 111 before Wedderburn lost his wicket for 37.

From there the West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals with Johnson providing the glue that kept the innings from falling completely apart against the bowling of Vihas Thewmika (3-55), Tharupathi (2-44) and Kaveesha Piyumal (2-55).

When play resumes on Thursday, Johnson will be hoping to significantly add to his 133 that so far includes 16 fours and a six while hoping that Tamarie Redwood, who has yet to score, can stay with him long enough to give the West Indies a fighting chance to extend the game into Friday.’

Scores: West Indies 127 (Johnson 52) and 251-8 (Johnson 133*) vs Sri Lanka 326 (Maisha Tharupathi 70, Rusanda Gamage 58)

 

Pascal, Edward come up big as West Indies beat England by two wickets to secure Super Sixes spot

Edward, 18, got the ball rolling almost immediately with the wicket of England opened Jaydn Denly just four balls into the contest after the West Indies won the toss and put England in to bat.

Skipper Ben McKinney and Noah Thain then put on 50 for the second wicket before McKinney was Edward’s second victim for 26 in the 11th over.

Thain and new batsman Hamza Shaikh then added a further 47 for the third wicket before Thain went for 40 in the 21st over.

England then lost their next four wickets at 99, 120, 135 and 147 before eventually being bowled out for 192 in 46.3 overs.

Shaikh went on to top score with 53 while Edward, who also took two catches, finished with 3-28 from his 6.3 overs.

He was well supported by Raneico Smith (2-28), Isai Thorne (2-40) and Tarrique Edward (2-40).

The West Indians then lost eight wickets in a nervy chase, eventually bringing up the win reaching 196-8 after 41 overs.

Captain Stephan Pascal led the way with 58 off 84 balls while Edward made a match-winning 49* off 80 balls including five fours and a six.

After the wickets of Jordan Johnson for a rapid 17-ball 31 including four fours and two sixes, Mavendra Dindyal for 14 and Jewel Andrew, the tournament’s leading run-scorer heading into this game with scores of 130 against South Africa and 64* against Scotland, for just two, the West Indies were reeling at 98-5 in the 16th over.

Pascal was then joined at the crease by Edward and the pair put on 51 before Pascal inexplicably tried to go over the top off leg-spinner Tazeem Ali only to be caught at mid-off in the 32nd over.

The subsequent quick dismissal of Nathan Sealy for one in the 35th over put the Windies in a tough spot at 156-7 but Nathan and Tarrique Edward were able go hold their nerve.

Tarrique Edward was eventually dismissed for 5 in the 40th over with the Windies needing just one to win.

The West Indies are now through to the Super Sixes phase of the competition.

The top three from each group qualify for the Super Sixes stage. From there, the 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

Rain, lightning spoil party as West Indies miss out on semi-final spot after Australia no result

The West Indies entered the game third in Group 2 behind Australia and South Africa knowing they needed a win to keep their final four hopes alive.

After winning the toss and electing to field first, things started really well for the Windies as they restricted the Aussies to 87-5 just past the halfway mark of their innings.

However, an 89-run sixth wicket partnership between Sam Konstas and Raf MacMillan provided some much-needed stability to the Australian batting effort.

In the end, Australia were reduced to 227-8 from their 50 overs. Konstas led the way with a brilliantly compiled 108 off 121 balls including 11 fours and three sixes while MacMillan was the next highest scorer with 29.

Nathan Edward led the way with the ball for the West indies with 3-32 off nine overs while Isai Thorne took 2-50 from 10.

In reply, the West Indies were 24-2 off 4.3 overs when play was halted due to lightning.

As time passed, the lightning was joined by rain and the match was eventually called off.

The no result meant that the West Indies ended the Super Six on five points from their four games, one point behind hosts South Africa who booked their spot in the semis with a dominant 119-run win over Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom to move to six points.

Australia ended up on seven points to win the group.

Reifer happy with preparation ahead of four match series against South Africa U19s beginning Sunday


“The team has settled in very well. The last couple of net sessions we had were very good, especially yesterday’s session, where we had a very good gym session in the morning before we went into the nets in the afternoon. I thought the bowlers bowled aggressively, hitting their lines and lengths very hard. The batters are doing very well and we’re still making sure they get in their drills to practice the shots that they want to play in the game so all is going well,” Reifer said.
Reifer noted that the quality of the pitches they practiced on got better as time went on.


“The first day the pitches were a bit slow, obviously, because it was short notice and the guys didn’t have a lot of time to prepare the pitches but yesterday, they were very good for bowling and batting so the boys were happy,” Reifer added.
The former Barbados and West Indies batsman also spoke about how his players are coping with the pressure of playing in a home World Cup.
“These youngsters understand what and who they represent. They know they represent the millions of people in the Caribbean and the millions of people that follow West Indies cricket around the world as well so they know what they’re playing for…they know the importance of the World Cup,” he said.


Reifer says the players have shown a better understanding of what it takes to be elite athletes as time has gone on.
“They’ve been preparing very well mentally, physically, and skillfully. Even off the field, they’re eating better, they’re hydrating better so they understand the importance of being elite athletes. I think they’re on the right road and the right path in terms of understanding. They’ve come a long way in terms of where we started in January to where we are now.” Reifer said while going on to commend them on their noticeable maturity as youngsters.
“There’s vast improvement and vast development. It’s good to see that these youngsters have adapted and adjusted to the lifestyle of being a professional. The conversations that they’re having with each other are very mature conversations so I’m very happy to hear that as well. All in all, we’re doing well and continuing to prepare,” he said.


Reifer finally spoke about a focus on the tactical aspects of the game in the few weeks leading up to the World Cup.
“We’re focusing a lot more now on the tactical side of the game. Focusing a lot more on game awareness and guys understanding their roles. Even in the discussions that we’ve had over the last two days, they understand their roles and responsibilities within the team. They understand about having that killer instinct and positive mindset to go out there and do well,” Reifer said.


The West Indies U19s first match in the World Cup will be against Australia U19s at Providence in Guyana on January 14, 2022.
They will compete in Group D alongside Australia U19s, Scotland U19s, and Sri Lanka U19s.

Sri Lanka U19s reach 163-3 at stumps on rainy day one against West Indies U19s in Dambulla

Only 38 overs were possible on the day after the hosts won the toss and decided to bat first.

Opener Pulindu Perera, who hit 155 in the third ODI last week, followed that up with a 66-ball 71 including eight fours and two sixes.

Captain Sineth Jayawardene, who opened the batting as well, made a run-a-ball 34 while Ravishan Nethsara ended the day 31*.

Tarrique Edward, Nathan Sealy and Isai Thorne are the West Indian wicket-takers, so far.

Wedderburn hits 61, Smith grabs 4-47 as West Indies secure tense three-wicket win over Sri Lanka to open Super Six campaign

Sri Lanka first posted 231 from their 50 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first at the Diamond Oval in Kimberley.

Dinura Kalupahana made 53 from 83 balls to lead the Sri Lankan batting effort while Malsha Tharupathi made 42 off 38 and Supun Waduge 31 off 40 to provide good support.

Raneico Smith took 4-47 from his 10 overs to lead the West Indian bowling effort while Nathan Edward took 2-47 from his nine overs. Nathan Sealy and Tarrique Edward took a wicket each.

The West Indies then completed a tense chase, reaching 232-7 from 49.3 overs.

Steven Wedderburn, playing only his second match of the tournament, led the way with a 71-ball 61 at the top of the order. His knock included five fours and three sixes.

He was well supported by Jordan Johnson who made 39 off 46 balls including four fours. Captain Stephan Pascal made a swift 26-ball 33 including five fours and a six.

The West Indies were cruising at 147-2 in the 27th over before Wedderburn and Johnson fell in successive overs to leave the West indies 149-4 in the 28th over.

The subsequent wickets of Mavendra Dindyal (17), Nathan Edward (13) and Jewel Andrew (11) left the West Indies in a tricky position at 206-7 in the 46th over before a match-winning 26-run eighth wicket partnership between Nathan Sealy and Tarrique Edward.

Sealy finished 27* off 28 balls while Edward finished 11* off 13 balls.

Vishwa Lahiru took 2-32 from his 10 overs for Sri Lanka while Dinura Kalupahana and Sineth Jayawardena also took a pair of wickets, each.

The West Indies are now second in Group two of the Super Six with four points, the same as Australia who play England tomorrow. The Caribbean side will play Australia in their final Super Six game on Friday.

The top two teams in the group will advance to the semi-finals.

West Indies name squad for ICC U-19 World Cup in South Africa

Top-order batter Stephan Pascal has been named as Captain with Nathan Sealy, the slow bowling allrounder as Vice-Captain. The 15-member squad features most of the players who toured Sri Lanka for three Youth One-Day Internationals (50-over matches) and two four-day “Test” matches in August and September.

The squad includes three players who played in the 2022 ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup which was staged in the West Indies. They are: fast bowler Isai Thorne, left-handed allrounder Nathan Edward and left-handed batter Jordan Johnson.

Thorne made his first-class debut for the West Indies Academy against Emerging Ireland last month and impressed with his pace. He took 12 wickets in two matches at an average of 6.16 per wicket. Johnson joined the West Indies A Team on the recent tour of South Africa where he made his first-class debut in the third and final four-day “Test” match.

The squad has assembled in Antigua for a one-week camp at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. During the camp, they will have training and fitness sessions along with planning sessions and personal development workshops.

Lead Selector Robert Haynes said:

“We have named a balanced squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup and we expect them to do very well in this prestigious international event. We had a good tour of Sri Lanka in August and September where the players gained valuable experience. This helped to prepare them for the upcoming assignment. Since that tour, we also had a camp in Trinidad where we played against the USA Under-19 and the Trinidad & Tobago Under-23 teams. They will be match-fit and mentally fully prepared when they journey to South Africa.”

Haynes added:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for these young men to represent the West Indies and showcase their talent, playing against their peers, in front of a global audience. This is a crucial stage in their development. They have received excellent preparation, help, and guidance from the coaches and support staff, and we expect to see them do very well.”

For the tournament, the West Indies have been drawn alongside hosts South Africa, Scotland, and England in Group B for their first-round matches. All three matches will be played at the J.B. Marks Oval in Potchefstroom. Before that, they will have warm-up matches against New Zealand and Nepal in Johannesburg.

India, who won the tournament in 2022 and are placed in Group A with Bangladesh, Ireland and the USA. Group C features Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, while Group D is made up of Afghanistan, Pakistan, New Zealand and Nepal. The top three sides from each group will progress to the Super Six phase to be played from 30 January to 3 February. The Semi-Finals will be on 6 and 8 February and the Final is on 11 February at Willowmore Park in Benoni.

FULL SQUAD  

Stephan Pascal (Captain) – right-handed bat 

Nathan Sealy (Vice Captain) – right-handed bat/left-arm spin

Jewel Andrew – right-handed bat/wicket-keeper

Mavendra Dindyal – right-handed bat/right-arm leg-spin bowler

Joshua Dorne – right-handed bat

Nathan Edward – left-handed bat/left-arm fast bowler

Tarrique Edward – right-handed bat/right-arm off-spin bowler

Reon Edwards – left-handed bat/left-arm fast bowler

Deshawn James – right-handed bat/right-arm fast bowler

Jordan Johnson – left-handed bat

Devonie Joseph – left-handed bat/wicket-keeper

Raneico Smith – right-handed bat/right-arm fast bowler

Isai Thorne – right-handed bat/right-arm fast bowler

Steve Wedderburn – left-handed bat

Adrian Weir – right-handed bat 

Team Management

Rohan Nurse (Head Coach)

Rohan Clarke (Assistant Coach)

Nick Wilton (Assistant Coach)

Dwain Gill (Team Manager)

Dominic Angoy (Physiotherapist)

Gregory Seale (Strength and Conditioning Coach)

MATCH SCHEDULE 

Warm-up matches

Sunday, 14 January: vs New Zealand at Braamfischer Oval, Johannesburg

Tuesday, 16 January: vs Nepal at St Stithians, Johannesburg

First round – Group B

Friday, 19 January: vs South Africa at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Wednesday, 24 January: vs Scotland at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

Friday, 26 January: vs England at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom

West Indies Rising Stars Men’s Under 19s squad named for tour of Sri Lanka

Top-order batter Stephan Pascal will be captain for the white ball matches with Nathan Sealy, the left-handed slow bowling allrounder, to lead the side for two red ball matches which conclude the Tour. The squad includes three players who played in the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup in 2022 which was hosted in the West Indies. They are: fast bowler Isai Thorne, allrounder Nathan Edward and left-handed batter Jordan Johnson.

Rohan Nurse, CWI’s Talent Pathway Manager is the Head Coach.

Robert Haynes, Lead Selector for the Rising Stars Men’s Under 19s said: “This is a very important tour to Sri Lanka for the development of this group of young cricketers. We have some excellent players in the squad who did very well in the recent West Indies Rising Stars Under 19s Championships in St. Vincent, and we believe they will continue to grow and develop on this upcoming tour.”

Haynes added: “This is an integral part of the preparations for next year’s ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup which will also be played in Sri Lanka. The players will get a first-hand look at the conditions and become acclimatized. We are also very happy that we will have the chance to play two four-day matches. We see the red ball format as very important and vital to the development of our young players. We have not played a Youth Test in a long while and so this is a welcome return to the tour itinerary.”

The next ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup will be played in Sri Lanka in January and February 2024.

FULL SQUAD

Stephan Pascal (co-Captain) – right-handed bat

Nathan Sealy (co-Captain) – left-arm spin/right-handed bat

Jewel Andrew – right-handed bat/wicket-keeper

Mavendra Dindyal – right-handed bat

Joshua Dorne – right-handed bat

Nathan Edward – left-handed bat/left-arm fast

Tarrique Edward – right-handed bat/right-arm off-spin

Reon Edwards – left-arm fast

Deshawn James – right-arm fast

Jordan Johnson – left-handed bat

Devonie Joseph – left-handed bat/wicket-keeper

Tamarie Redwood – right-arm leg-spin

Isai Thorne – right-arm fast

Steve Wedderburn – left-handed bat

Adrian Weir – right-handed bat

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Rohan Nurse (Head Coach)

Rohan Clarke (Assistant Coach)

Nick Wilton (Assistant Coach)

Gibbs Williams (Team Manager)

Dominic Angoy (Physiotherapist)

Gregory Seale (Strength and Conditioning Coach)

MATCH SCHEDULE

25 August: 50-over warm-up match at Colts Cricket Club, Colombo

27 August: 1st Youth ODI at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

30 August: 2nd Youth ODI at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

1 September: 3rd Youth ODI at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

5-8 September: 1st Youth Test at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

12-15 September: 2nd Youth Test at Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

West Indies U19s go down by 18 runs to South Africa U19s in first Youth ODI in St. Vincent

Winning the toss and choosing to field first, the young Windies were excellent in their bowling effort, restricting the South Africans to 146 all out off 34.2 overs.

Opener Jade Smith top scored for South Africa U19s with 34 from 43 balls while his opening partner Ethan Cunningham got 30 from 44 balls.

They were the only two batsmen to pass 20 as left-arm spinner Anderson Mahase was the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies U19s with figures of 4 for 33 from his 10 overs, while off-spinner Onaje Amory and left-arm spinner Jaden Carmichael took three wickets each.

Despite a top score of 39 off 33 balls including four fours and three sixes from vice-captain Giovonte Depeiza, the West Indies U19s had a disappointing batting display in reply, only managing 128 all out from 34.3 overs.

Captain Ackeem Auguste was the second-highest scorer with 27 from 43 balls, while Teddy Bishop also supported with 24 from 44 balls against 3-36 from Dewald Brevis from his 7.3 overs and 2-5 from Andile Simelane off three overs.

The Windies U19s will be looking to rebound in the second match of the series on Tuesday.

West Indies U19s to continue World Cup preparation with four match series against South Africa U19s in St. Vincent & The Grenadines

The teams arrived in St. Vincent late on Monday for the series that will be used by both teams as preparation for the Men’s ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup to be hosted in the Caribbean from January 14-February 5.

West Indies Head Coach Floyd Reifer views these matches as an important way to initially see how players react to different scenarios in a competitive setting.

“It’s great for us to have these matches as part of the build-up to the World Cup. We are really looking forward to this series against South Africa, as we are at the stage where it is important for the squad to play together, to see players in various roles, see how they respond to situations and how well they execute the plans we put in place,” Reifer said.

He also stressed the importance of the matches in facilitating good team chemistry and culture ahead of the World Cup.

“It is for us to also make sure we get the team going well together and have synergy, so the players fully understand each other. This is very crucial for us as we look to build the team energy and the team culture. I can’t stress enough how vital these matches are, and we will be taking them very seriously,” Reifer said.

He thanked the parties involved in making the series possible.

“We want to thank the Government and Cricket Association of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for working with our operations and medical teams over the past week to put things in place for us to get some much-needed playing time in the middle and preparations,” he said.

The ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup will feature 16 teams in 48 matches.

They are defending champions Bangladesh, England, Canada and the United Arab Emirates from Group A, with debutants Uganda placed in Group B alongside India, South Africa and Ireland. Group C comprises Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Papua New Guinea and Group D sees host West Indies, Australia, Sri Lanka and Scotland.