Castries, Saint Lucia – The Saint Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA), in partnership with Sandals Resorts, is set to host the Sandals/SLNCA Under-19 Cricket Tournament, which bowls off on January 25, continuing a proud tradition of youth cricket development in Saint Lucia.
The tournament will feature eight district teams: Gros Islet, Babonneau, Central Castries, South Castries, Mabouya, Mon Repos, Choiseul, and Soufriere, bringing together the island’s most promising young cricketers in a highly competitive national showcase.
Now firmly established as one of the most important youth tournaments on the local cricket calendar, the Sandals Cup has played a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing talent for national, regional, and international representation. Several past participants have gone on to represent Saint Lucia, Windwards and the West Indies at higher levels most notably Kimani Melius, Ackeem Auguste and Tarrique Edward.
The upcoming edition follows an exciting 2025 tournament, which ended with Gros Islet and Central Castries sharing championship honours, highlighting the closely contested and high-quality cricket the competition consistently delivers.
Speaking on Sandals’ continued support of youth cricket, Sunil Ramdeen, Sandals Resorts Regional Public Relations Manager for the Eastern Caribbean said:
“Over the past few years we have been extremely proud to see how this tournament has had a positive impact on preparing young Saint Lucian players for advancement to the national, territorial and regional teams. At Sandals, we believe in investing in the development and growth of our communities, and we remain excited to be part of this excellent partnership with the SLNCA. ”
SLNCA President Wayne Auguste emphasized the tournament’s importance to the Association’s development strategy:
“The Sandals/SLNCA Under-19 Cricket Tournament is a cornerstone of our player development pathway. It provides a critical bridge between school and senior cricket, allowing us to identify talent, instill strong cricketing values, and expose our young players to high-quality competition at a national level. We are deeply grateful to Sandals Resorts for their continued partnership and investment in youth development, which plays a vital role in strengthening the future of Saint Lucia and Windward Islands cricket.”
Matches will be played across four main venues around the island namely: Mindoo Phillip Park, Wenn Playing Field (Mon Repos), Phillip Marcellin Grounds (Vieux Fort) and Piaye Playing Field (Choiseul), ensuring wide community engagement and opportunities for supporters to witness the next generation of Saint Lucian cricketers in action.
The SLNCA encourages cricket fans, families, and communities to come out and support the teams as the future stars of Saint Lucia cricket take centre stage.