Our Windies U-19s cricketers have demonstrated amazing discipline and teamness in winning the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup.
As many regional cricket fans did, I saw every ball and particularly enjoyed the mental sharpness, agility and technical skills of the youngsters.
Our bowling was terrific. Our catching was tremendous. Our batting was exquisite. Did you see the two catches, one by Kaecy Carty low to his left in the gully, and the other by Keemo Paul on his bootstraps in the covers? Did you really understand what our wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach did to their opener Pant in stumping him from some 20 yards behind the stumps? What mental sharpness by Tevin!
What maturity and coolness displayed by Keemo and Kaecy in their 69-run winning partnership. What aggressive batting in earlier matches by our opener Pope.
Catches win matches and with the sound management of this team, our Windies future is back on track again. Thanks coach Graeme West and bowling coach Corey Collymore–we could not have done this without your professional inputs.
I trust that the "misfiring" WICBoard will take serious stock and look to cultivate these 16 youngsters for the future. Give them all the resources to grow, provide them with HPC scholarships to continue to blossom. Assign each youngster with a pedigree cricket mentor in each of the regions.
Can we get Curtly or Courtney to work with the fast bowlers? Can we get Desmond Haynes or Brian Lara to work with the batsmen. Can we get say a Gus Logie to work with them on fielding.
Go Windies! And we now expect our senior team to bring home the bacon next month. Over to you, Captain Sammy, and don't you dare drop the ball now.
Ronnie Jones
San Fernando