Few Surprises in U-19 WC Squad

When the West Indies team takes the field in Bangladesh for the Under 19 World Cup next year they are likely to be the only team fielding a player with senior experience.

Ravi Rampaul, now on duty with the West Indies senior team in Zimbabwe heads the list of players selected in a 14 man squad which will be led by record-breaking Trinidadian skipper Denesh Ramdin who will do the wicket-keeping duties.

Ramdin, who this year, was the first Under 19 captain to lead his team to both the limited overs and three day championship will have elegant right handed Barbadian batsman Kirk Edwards as his deputy. This is a minor surprise given the Windward Islands captain Liam Sebastian and Guyana captain Assad Fudadin are also in the line up.

Classy Jamaican opener, Xavier Marshall can consider himself to be lucky since he did not particularly cover himself in glory during the just concluded Red Stripe Bowl in which the regional Under 19 team competed for the first time. He is the only Jamaican in the squad with his teammate, left arm swing bowling all rounder Krishmar Santokie losing out to the sharp Windwards all rounder Mervin Matthew.

Also missing out is Matthew?s fast bowling partner, the accurate Jean Paul. The fast bowling duties will be taken care of by the fiery Rampaul, diminutive Barbadian Barrington Yearwood along with Lionel Baker.

The team includes only two specialist openers in Marshall and compact Trinidadian Tishan Maraj with the left handed Ramdin as a possible third choice. The middle order appears to be the team?s strongest feature with Fudadin, Sebastian, Edwards, Trinidadian first class batsman Lendl Simmons (one of only three batsmen to score an RSB century this year) and another Trini in hard hitting Jonathan Augustus who can also double as a useful spinner.

First choice slow bowler though will be left armer Rishi Bachan, the sixth Trinidadian in the squad while Guyanese Zamal Khan, who is quite a capable batsman will be the other spin option.

Leewards off spinner Larry Joseph has been cut from the line up which will be coached by former Guyanese and West Indian off spinner Clyde Butts and managed by Trinidadian Roland Sampath.

Dinesh Ramdin (captain)
Kirk Edwards (vice captain)
Xavier Marshall
Tishan Maraj
Lendl Simmons
Assad Fudadin
Liam Sebastian
Ravi Rampaul
Mervin Matthew
Rishi Bachan
Lionel Baker
Barrington Yearwood
Jonathan Augustus
Zamal Khan
Clyde Butts (Coach)
Roland Sampath (Manager)