WITH two weeks to go, local cricketers are stepping-up their preparation ahead of the Windward Islands Senior Men’s Limited-over tournament, which bowls-off here on Sunday 26th May.
Players invited to training for the senior national cricket team will this weekend engage with two 50-over practice matches scheduled for the Mindoo Phillip Park.
Meanwhile, local and overseas cricket fans will be entertained by players from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Grenada and Saint Lucia confronting each other in what is expected to be a fierce battle for the Windward Islands Sub Regional One-Day bragging rights — and an opportunity to represent the Windward Islands in the Cricket West Indies 50-Overs format.
Matches will be played at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground and the Mindoo Phillip Park.
There are two newcomers in the training squad – Junior Alfred and Roshan Lesmond.
Prolific opening batsman and West Indies under-19 player Kimani Melius is part of the training squad called up by the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association to undergo training — is the youngest player ever to make the national team (2016) at the age of 13 years.
Earlier this year, he represented the West Indies Under-19s in the ICC World Cup in New Zealand scoring 190 runs in six innings at an average of 31.66. Kimani had scores of 7 versus Sri Lanka, 21 versus Ireland, 60 versus Kenya, 24 versus South Africa, 78 versus New Zealand and 0 versus Papa New Guinea.
Also on the training squad will be Johnnel Eugene — right hand batsman, right arm fast medium and Windward Islands U-19 Captain (In 2016, Johnnel was part of a West Indies U-19 training camp);
Others include: Larry Edward (left arm orthodox spinner and left-hand middle-order batsman); Tarryck Gabriel (right hand top order batsman and right-arm off-break); Dornan Edward (right hand leg spinner and right-hand lower-middle-order batsman); hard-hitting right-hand opening batsman/wicketkeeper Johnson Charles (with 48 ODIs to his name with a highest score of 130, Charles is the most experienced player in the training squad); Craig Emmanuel (right-hand middle order-batsman/right-arm seamer, who captained the Saint Lucia team in 2015 and is the second experienced player in camp (Craig has represented the Combined Campuses and Colleges and the Windward Islands); KeddyLesporis (right-hand and top order batsman/right arm off spin and was Craig’s deputy in 2015); Dalton Polius (left-hand top-order batsman/right arm off spinner with a wealth of experience playing in English conditions); Audy Alexander (left-arm Chinaman, left-hand middle-order batsman – and another seasoned campaigner); Jamal James (left-hand top-order batsman/right arm off-spinner); Shervin George (left-hand middle-order batsman/right-hand off-spinner; Tonius Simon (left-hand top-order batsman/right-arm off-spinner); Stephen Naitram (right-hand top-order batsman and wicket keeper); and Vidal Crandon (right-hand top-order batsman and wicket keeper).
Also in the squad are: Dillan John (left-arm seamer), Shem Severin (right-arm seamer), Kevin Augustin (right-arm seamer), Christian Ange (right-arm seamer); and Collinus Calendar (right-hand middle-order batsman/left arm seamer).
They will all go all out to impress the selectors and coaches.
