26 make the cut for extended training

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies on Tuesday announced a 26-member squad to continue preparations for next month’s tour of England, in the build-up to next year’s ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean.

The original training squad of 56 was whittled down following an eight-match trial series, and selectors will now focus on “a more intensive camp” and planning, as they prepare to choose an 18-man unit for the England series.

West Indies Rising Stars, as the regional Under-19 side is now known, will play six Youth One-Day Internationals from September 4-17 in Beckenham and Canterbury.

“The screening trials went very well. We saw some excellent performances and it was not easy to cut down the large number of such talented young players,” said Rising Stars head coach, Floyd Reifer.

“You could see the enthusiasm was high in all the players, and the spirit was high in all the teams. We have to do everything we can to encourage all of the players who came, to continue working on their game.

“A more intensive camp has started where we will push forward to improve the skillset, the mindset, and the tactical awareness of the 26 players, before cutting the squad further.”

He added: “More will go into the tactical sessions as we work towards the tour of England and onto the ICC U19 World Cup. We will also promote the West Indian brand of cricket that we want to play going into that World Cup, without neglecting the fundamentals.”

The region will play host to the Under-19 World Cup for the first time when it gets underway in January and February next year.

West Indies won the showpiece in 2016 when it was staged in Bangladesh, featuring a squad captained by batting star Shimron Hetmyer and including fast bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Chemar Holder who have all gone on to play Test cricket.

Last year, West Indies failed to qualify for the quarter-finals after finishing third in their group.

SQUAD – Onaje Amory, Anderson Amurdan, Ackeem Auguste, Justin Beckford, Teddy Bishop, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, Jaden Carmichael, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Amrit Dass, Giovonte Depeiza, Nathan Edwards, Andel Gordon, Sion Hackett, Justin Jagessar, Jordan Johnson, Kyle Kissoondath, Johann Layne, Nicholas Lewin, Anderson Mahase, Matthew Nandu, Shaqkere Parris, Kelvin Pittman, Isai Thorne, Shiva Sankar, Vasant Singh. (CMC)