Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt has insisted the strong showing of the U-19 team at the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup is due to a policy of deliberate investment in youth cricket.

The U-19 Windies, who won the title in 2016, are off to a strong start at the current edition of the tournament after notching wins over Australia, England, and Nigeria.  The team’s latest win, a dominant 246 runs win over their African opponents, ensured that the Windies were top of group B.

According to the CWI president, the team’s strong showing, which has taken many by surprise, is no accident.

“This administration promised that we would invest more seriously and in a more focussed and strategic way on our youth cricket and this Under-19 team is an example of what we set about to do immediately – to give them the best possible preparation going into this World Cup,” Skerritt said recently.

Read more at SportsMax

Note to fans/media/stakeholders

Recent Investments in West Indies U19 CWC preparation in line with point 3 & 6 of our 10 point campaign plan before taking office:

- Relocate U19 tournament to St Vincent from Guyana in order to simulate pitches more like those in South Africa

- 3 Post U19 Tournament trial matches in August in St Vincent

- Extra 2 week Camp in late September with DOC Jimmy Adams, Curtly Ambrose and others making specialized inputs (Antigua)

- Fitness testing, followed by home country supervised Sports & Conditioning programs from October until the December Tri series

- Four U19 players placed in Super50 Emerging players squad

- Training camp Pre tri-series (Antigua).

- 6 match international tri-series in December hosted at CWI cost

- Increased specialist coaching support, including fielding coach (for first time ever).

- Early travel to SA to allow two additional practice matches

Total investment in the above in excess of USD 700K

In reply to navindesigns

CWI ..20 million US in the red.

No bank will lend them money ..are you gonna lend them 700,000 US?

In reply to sgtdjones

Who say bank lend them the US$700k?