… Guyanese Trevon Griffiths, Keon Joseph included
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Jamaican Andre Creary has been appointed captain of a 15-man West Indies squad announced yesterday to do battle in next year’s ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

The right-handed batsman will lead a side that also includes prolific 17-year-old Barbadian opener Kraigg Brathwaite and the exciting Trinidadian batting duo of Yannick Ottley and Yannic Cariah,

Creary, who missed this year’s regional youth tournament through injury, led the Under-19 side to the WICB President’s Cup in October and brings solid experience to the job.

He is the only returning member from last year’s squad and was good enough to be called up to the makeshift West Indies senior team during the bitter strike earlier this year, though he did not make his international debut.

Creary made his first class debut against the touring Bangladeshis in July, but managed just 17 in the drawn match at Kensington Oval.

Several players have missed out from the 20-man training squad but chairman of selectors Clyde Butts said yesterday he believed the side was a strong one which was well balanced.

“I think we have a very good team and I am confident they have the ability to go all the way. The team is a balanced one with quality batting, very good bowling and excellent in the field,” said Butts.

“I especially expect a lot from the two leg-spinners (Akeem) Dwyer and (Yannic) Cariah, who are capable match-winners. They (team) know what is required and the two leg-spinners add to the balance because they are very capable batsmen as well.”

All-rounder Dalton Polius, the outstanding Windward Islands youth captain, is among five players overlooked, with the others being Kejel Tyson, Kelbert Walters, Kirk Harris and Patrick Harty.

Butts said the squad was a strong one and backed them to challenge for the overall title in the tournament, which runs from January 15 to 30.

“I can see them going all the way. This team is better balanced than two years ago when we went to Malaysia and won the Plate Final,” the former West Indies off-spinner said.

“Since I saw them in the Under-19 tournament in Jamaica and the WICB One-Day tournament in Guyana, you can see the vast improvement and development.

“They play well together and were excellent during the recent camp in St Kitts. You could clearly see the improvement and the boys are very enthusiastic.”

Butts said, however, the players need to be mentally prepared for the change of environment, as they would be confronted with a completely new atmosphere in New Zealand.

“It will be very important that the players make the mental and physical adjustment in New Zealand,” Butts noted.

“The conditions will be a challenge. New Zealand is literally on the other side of the world but the big advantage is that the team will be arriving early and will have the chance to play warm-up matches. They will be travelling straight to New Zealand so there should be enough time to get set for the big competition.”

Squad – Andre Creary (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nelson Bolan, Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Yannic Cariah, Akeem Dewar, Shane Dowrich, Nicholson Gordon, Trevon Griffiths, Jason Holder, Keon Joseph, Evin Lewis, Yannick Ottley, Jomel Warrican.