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ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A packed season of regional age-group cricket is in store for the most promising junior players in the region.
The season will bowl off on June 29 when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-17 tournament commences in Tobago. In its second year, the newest regional age-group tournament will run through to July 8. Defending champions Jamaica, who won the inaugural tournament which was also held in Tobago, will be looking to defend their title against the five other regional teams – Barbados, Guyana, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Windward Islands.
The Barbadian youngsters will begin the defence of their Regional Under-15 tournament on July 10 in Jamaica. The Under-15 Tournament will also be contested by the six traditional regional teams and will conclude on July 26.
Also commencing on July 10 will be the month-long WICB Regional Under-19 Tournament which will be played in the Leeward Islands.
WICB Cricket Operations Manager and former West Indies batsman, Roland Holder said that the age-group tournaments will allow the next generation of West Indies players to test their skills against their regional counterparts.
“These age-group tournaments are critical in the developmental structure of West Indies Cricket as they allow for talent identification at a young age,” Holder added.
“With the addition of the Under-17 tournament we now have a full menu of age-group cricket without any gaps so players can transition from the Under-15 to the Under-17 and then to the Under-19,” Holder explained.
“After these tournaments the players can then go on to play senior cricket for the respective territories while also coming into consideration for the Sagicor High Performance Centre, West Indies A Team and other developmental programmes in West Indies Cricket,” Holder added.
“What is particularly important about the Under-19 tournament this year is that the ICC Under-19 World Cup is next year so we expect the competition for places on the World Cup squad to be fierce and the selectors will be paying keen attention to the best performers,” Holder said.
The age qualifications for the three tournaments are as follows:
WICB Regional Under-15: Players must be under the age of fifteen (15) years before 1st September 2013. Therefore such a player must be born on or after September 1, 1998.
WICB Regional Under-17: Players must be under the age of seventeen (17) years before September 1, 2013. Therefore such a player must be born on or after September 1, 1996.
WICB Regional Under-19*: Players must be under the age of nineteen (19) years before September 1, 2013. Therefore such a player must be born on or after September 1, 1994.
*The ICC Americas Under-21 Team will participate in the 50-Over leg of the Under-19 tournament.
WICB Regional Age-Group Tournaments Schedule:
Under-17 Tournament: June 29 – July 8 in Tobago
Under-15 Tournament: July 10 – 26 in Jamaica
Under-19 Tournament: July 10 – August 10 in Leeward Islands (country TBC)
The schedule for each tournament will be announced once finalised.
The season will bowl off on June 29 when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Under-17 tournament commences in Tobago. In its second year, the newest regional age-group tournament will run through to July 8. Defending champions Jamaica, who won the inaugural tournament which was also held in Tobago, will be looking to defend their title against the five other regional teams – Barbados, Guyana, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Windward Islands.
The Barbadian youngsters will begin the defence of their Regional Under-15 tournament on July 10 in Jamaica. The Under-15 Tournament will also be contested by the six traditional regional teams and will conclude on July 26.
Also commencing on July 10 will be the month-long WICB Regional Under-19 Tournament which will be played in the Leeward Islands.
WICB Cricket Operations Manager and former West Indies batsman, Roland Holder said that the age-group tournaments will allow the next generation of West Indies players to test their skills against their regional counterparts.
“These age-group tournaments are critical in the developmental structure of West Indies Cricket as they allow for talent identification at a young age,” Holder added.
“With the addition of the Under-17 tournament we now have a full menu of age-group cricket without any gaps so players can transition from the Under-15 to the Under-17 and then to the Under-19,” Holder explained.
“After these tournaments the players can then go on to play senior cricket for the respective territories while also coming into consideration for the Sagicor High Performance Centre, West Indies A Team and other developmental programmes in West Indies Cricket,” Holder added.
“What is particularly important about the Under-19 tournament this year is that the ICC Under-19 World Cup is next year so we expect the competition for places on the World Cup squad to be fierce and the selectors will be paying keen attention to the best performers,” Holder said.
The age qualifications for the three tournaments are as follows:
WICB Regional Under-15: Players must be under the age of fifteen (15) years before 1st September 2013. Therefore such a player must be born on or after September 1, 1998.
WICB Regional Under-17: Players must be under the age of seventeen (17) years before September 1, 2013. Therefore such a player must be born on or after September 1, 1996.
WICB Regional Under-19*: Players must be under the age of nineteen (19) years before September 1, 2013. Therefore such a player must be born on or after September 1, 1994.
*The ICC Americas Under-21 Team will participate in the 50-Over leg of the Under-19 tournament.
WICB Regional Age-Group Tournaments Schedule:
Under-17 Tournament: June 29 – July 8 in Tobago
Under-15 Tournament: July 10 – 26 in Jamaica
Under-19 Tournament: July 10 – August 10 in Leeward Islands (country TBC)
The schedule for each tournament will be announced once finalised.
