ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Leeward Island selectors say they have made “sweeping changes” as they attempt to improving their team’s position heading into the fifth round of matches in the Regional Four-Day Tournament this weekend.

They have dropped five players – four Antiguans – Sylvester Joseph, Mali Richards, Justin Athanaze and Hayden Walsh Jr – along with Anguilla’s Lyndel Richardson ahead of their next match against Windward Islands at the Grenada National Stadium starting tomorrow.
Their replacements are Antigua’s Orlando Peters, Montserrat’s Quinton Boatswain and Jaison Peters, Nevis’ Javier Liburd and Anguilla’s Yannick Leonard.
“The last two games we played we didn’t really play particularly well, especially against Trinidad, and a few guys didn’t really perform the way that we, as selectors, think they ought to and we think that we have to give someone else an opportunity to prove his skills,” said Ridley Jacobs, coach of Leewards.
“In our bowling at times we fell apart and I think that we need players to come there and be consistent and put the ball in the right areas for a long period of time so that the captain can be more comfortable.”
Of the three matches played, Leewards Islands have won one and lost the other two and are lowly placed on 22 points, five points clear of Guyana .
Guyana have played four matches, losing three and drawing the other.
“We need guys to bat and score runs because we haven’t been getting that consistently,” said Jacobs, a former West Indies wicketkeeper.
“So we are looking at consistency in the team”.
The Leewards suffered a crushing 107-run defeat to Trinidad and Tobago in third round action over a week ago.
Jacobs said that victory against Windwards this weekend is crucial for Leeward Islands to stay in the competition.
“We’re basically trying to win all of our games (from here on) and this one in particular because we played against them last year but we didn’t play very well, and it is very important that this time around we go out there and give 100 per cent and really put the ball in the right areas and bat for long periods of time,” he said.
“Some of the teams have already played four games and we have played three. So it’s important that from here on we win all of our games and once we do that we stand a chance of getting into the four and then hopefully we can do better than we did last year.”
Following their clash against Windward Islands, Leewards will tackle Guyana in a game starting April 4 at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds before Barbados on April 11 at the same venue.