Nine teams are competing for the coveted championship title in the 8th edition of the Sandals Under-19 Cricket Tournament, in collaboration with the St Lucia National Cricket Association.
The competition got underway, last week, with the matches at selected venues, across the island displaying some exciting performances.
Sunil Ramdhin, Regional Communications Manager at Sandals Resorts International (RSI) noted that this laudable partnership between Sandals and the SLNCA led to the continuation of the tournament past the initial 3-year stage that it was earmarked for.
He noted that the tournament has grown over the years, evolving into a platform for nurturing young talent to gain greater exposure in the sport regionally and globally.
SLNCA official, Shawn Alcindor explained that for this season, the tournament has been split into two divisions; North and South.
He noted that the Under-19 competition features some ‘West Indies hopefuls’ and other top players in the mix competing and displaying their skills for an opportunity to represent the region.
Alcindor indicated there were prospects of including a two-day match in the fixture, to enable the players to adapt to more playing time and efficiency in the game.
SLNCA President Wayne Auguste highlighted that ‘Commercialization and driving sponsorship’ were the primary objectives of the tournament.
He observed that the Under-19 level is a highly critical- high-performance stage for the players to improve their skill sets and talents.
Auguste singled out the accomplishments of several young players who have transitioned from the Sandals/SLNCA Under-19 stage to performing regionally and globally. He mentioned the likes of Kimani Melius, Ackeem Auguste, Tarrique Edward, and Theo Edward among the top players that have transitioned from the Under-19 cricket league competition.
Urging the players to excel and perform well in the tournament, Auguste asserted: “It’s a journey…enjoy the ride.”
Attached is a list of the fixture of matches :
