THE Selection Panel of Cricket West Indies has announced a 21-member Windies Under-19 squad for a two-week training camp from December 5 to 20 in Barbados and Antigua.
The squad reads: Alick Athanaze, Brad Barnes, Joshua Bishop, Cephas Cooper, Kishan Graham, Jarion Hoyte, Kirstan Kallicharran, Mikyle Louis, Aaron Maniram, Kimani Melius, Ashmeade Nedd, Darron Nedd, Kian Pemberton, Raymond Perez, Joshua Persaud, Jeavor Royal, Keegan Simmons, Javier Spencer, Emmanuel Stewart, Bhaskar Yadram and Nyeem Young.
All but two of the players that were part of the successful trip to southern Africa in July have been included in the squad which also includes seven players whose performances during the recent Regional Under-19 Tournament in St. Kitts enhanced their claims for consideration.
The new inclusions are Brad Barnes, Kishawn Graham, Jarion Hoyte, Aaron Maniram, Kimani Melius, Regional U-19 3-Day Most Valuable Player Ashmeade Nedd and Regional U-19 Super50 MVP Raymond Perez.
On the squad, Courtney Browne, chairman of the CWI selection panel, said: “As the build-up to the 2018 ICC Youth World Cup continues, the development of our Under-19 players is paramount.
“The upcoming strategic camp will again give the coaching staff another opportunity to enhance and fine-tune the players’ skills and focus on team work, as we set out on our quest to defend the ICC Youth World Cup title.”
Browne added: “The addition of players from the recent Regional U-19 Tournament to the camp squad will complement the team that was so successful two months ago in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
“These additional players were chosen to strengthen those positions in the squad that we felt needed attention.”
The players will assemble in Barbados, where they will undergo fitness testing, before travelling to Antigua in order to complete the training programme using the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
It will be their final preparation in the Caribbean before travelling to the ICC Youth World Cup to be staged from January 13 to February 3 next year in New Zealand.
Windies Under-19s are the defending ICC Youth World Cup champions, having lifted the title for the first time ever last year in Bangladesh, under the leadership of Shimron Hetmyer and guidance of head coach Graeme West.