JAMAICA will be hoping for a better finish in the CWI Regional U-15 Tournament when they compete in this year’s competition, set for April 11-21 in Antigua and Barbuda.
The team departs the island tomorrow.
Jamaica hosted the competition in 2018 and finished in third place with Jordan Johnson earning honours as the top bowler with nine wickets.
His performance, along with that of then captain Sanjay Williams, earned them a selection to the CWI U-15 team, who toured the United Kingdom that summer.
Jamaica last won the Regional U-15 tournament in 2011 under captain Ramaal Lewis, who now plies his trade as a contracted member of Senior Men’s Regional champions – Guyana Jaguars.
This year’s squad features 12 new players who have replaced members of last year’s squad who have matriculated to the U-17 level.
Now captain, Jordan Johnson, and Adrian Weir are the only two members of the 2018 squad who have returned.
Coach Phillip Service said the new talent excites him.
“It’s great that as a nation we are able to consistently produce good young talent. Continuity and succession planning are key to our future competitiveness across the region,” he said.
“These young men are eager to grow, develop and excel. Last year’s third-place finish serves as an inspiration to them; in fact, they are intent on surpassing that achievement.
“We just want to see them play smart cricket and stick to the plan for each game. There are some key performance targets that we will use to measure our success. On our return, we can carefully plot the next phase of the way forward.”
Jamaica will join Barbados, Guyana, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and the Windward Islands in a round-robin format, where each team will face the other once. The team to accumulate the most points at the end of the five rounds will be crowned champions.
Coach Philip Service and manager Laurence Garriques are in charge of the 16-member delegation that includes squad members Jordan Johnson, Adrian Weir, Steven Wedderburn, Michael Clarke, Julani Sinclair, Kenardo Cameron, Odel Samuels, Xavi Williams, Kev’Aundre Virgo, Damar Freeburn, Lindale Anderson, Tamarie Redwood, Marlon Williams and Reon Edwards.
