Regional youth cricket has long been a pathway for a number of young cricketers to make the transition to the senior ranks.

While developing the cricketing skills of the region’s young players is paramount, their development off the field is equally as important.

The latest initiative from the Jamaica Cricket Association is further emphasis of that fact.

To honour last year’s successful Jamaica under-19 double champions, the association, along with long-time partners Kingston Wharves Limited, handed out tertiary scholarship grants to two crucial members of the team, Brian Barnes and Steven Wedderburn.

Barnes, a left-handed top order batsman, was the team’s captain, a role he returned to in 2024.

Wedderburn, also a southpaw, was one of the top scorers during last year’s regional tournament and went on to represent the West Indies at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa from January 19-February 11 this year.

The pair was chosen from a shortlist of five under-19 players, following the application process, which required the cricketers to be accepted at a recognised tertiary institution.

The four-year scholarship grant will see Barnes and Wedderburn studying marketing at the University of the West Indies.