Regional talent scouts will start the search later this month in St. Vincent for prospective players for the West Indies Under-19 squad that will defend the title at the next ICC Youth World Cup, due to be staged two years from now in New Zealand.
The Regional Under-19 boys’ tournament will take place between July 27 and August 21, giving the region’s best young players their first opportunity to showcase their talent and impress the West Indies selection panel.
The Windies Under-19s, under the leadership of Shimron Hetmyer, claimed the ICC YWC title earlier this year in Bangladesh – and the WICB is looking to put things in place from now to ensure a robust defence.
“Being the team that will be defending the title, the bulls-eye will be on our Under-19s, so we have to once again start putting together the building blocks for a strong side that will be tough to beat,” said Roland Holder, WICB manager of cricket operations.
“Our success in this year’s tournament should hopefully inspire the next group of players and make them hungry for similar success when they see all the excitement that was generated after this year’s team won.
“They should be eager to play and the players should see this tournament as an opportunity to start the process. No one is guaranteed a spot, so it’s about them putting in the hard work and doing it on the field when the time comes.”
This year, the Tournament will comprise three rounds of three-day matches, which takes centre stage over the first 11 days, and the Youth Super50 which fields seven teams – the six territorial sides from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Windward Islands – along with a composite side from ICC Americas.
Guyana are the defending champions in both formats. They won the previous three-day competition which was played two years ago in their homeland, and have won the 50 overs-a-side title over the last two years at home and in Jamaica.
The Guyanese will open the three-day competition against long-standing rivals Jamaica in the eastern rural community of Park Hill.
At the same time on the outskirts of the Vincentian capital of Kingstown, Trinidad & Tobago meet sporting arch-rivals Barbados at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex on the southern side of the E.T. Joshua Airport, and at Sion Hill on the northern side of the airport, hosts Windward Islands tackle Leeward Islands.
In the first round of the Super50, Guyana face the composite ICC Americas side at Arnos Vale, Jamaica meet T&T at Sion Hill and Park Hill hosts Barbados vs Leewards. Hosts Windwards have drawn a bye.
Each of the teams will play the other once in a round-robin competition, featuring seven rounds of 50 overs-a-side matches, with the two teams accumulating the most points qualifying for the Final to determine the tournament winner on August 21 at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex..
MATCH SCHEDULE
Regional Youth 3-Day Tournament
Round 1 – Wednesday, July 27 to Friday, July 29
Guyana vs Jamaica – Park Hill
Trinidad & Tobago vs Barbados – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Leeward Islands vs Windward Islands – Sion Hill
Round 2 – Sunday, July 31 to Tuesday, August 2
Guyana vs Leeward Islands – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Trinidad & Tobago vs Windward Islands – Park Hill
Jamaica vs Barbados – Sion Hill
Round 3 – Thursday, August 4 to Saturday, August 6
Jamaica vs Leeward Islands – Stubbs
Barbados vs Windward Islands – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Guyana vs Trinidad & Tobago – Sion Hill
Regional Youth Super50 Tournament
Round 1 – Wednesday, August 10
ICC Americas vs Guyana – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Jamaica vs Trinidad & Tobago – Sion Hill
Barbados vs Leeward Islands – Park Hill
BYE – Windward Islands
Round 2 – Thursday, August 11
Jamaica vs Windward Islands – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Leeward Islands vs ICC Americas – Park Hill
Trinidad & Tobago vs Barbados – Sion Hill
BYE – Guyana
Round 3 – Saturday, August 13
Guyana vs Leeward Islands – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Barbados vs Windward Islands – Sion Hill
ICC Americas vs Trinidad & Tobago – Park Hill
BYE – Jamaica
Round 4 – Monday, August 15
Barbados vs Jamaica – Park Hill
Guyana vs Trinidad & Tobago – Stubbs
ICC Americas vs Windward Islands – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
BYE – Leeward Islands
Round 5 – Tuesday, August 16
Trinidad & Tobago vs Leeward Islands – Stubbs
Jamaica vs ICC Americas – Park Hill
Windward Islands vs Guyana – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
BYE – Barbados
Round 6 – Thursday, August 18
ICC Americas vs Barbados – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Leeward Islands vs Windward Islands – Park Hill
Guyana vs Jamaica – Sion Hill
BYE – Trinidad & Tobago
Round 7 – Friday, August 19
Windward Islands vs Trinidad & Tobago – Park Hill
Barbados vs Guyana – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
Leeward Islands vs Jamaica – Sion Hill
BYE – ICC Americas
The Final – Sunday, August 21
1st vs 2nd – Arnos Vale Sports Complex
(Taken from windiescricket.com)