St John’s, Antigua – A packed season of regional age group cricket is in store for the most promising junior players in the region.
The season will bowl off on June 29 when the West Indies Cricket Board Regional Under 17 tournament commences in Tobago.
In its second year, the newest regional age group tournament will run through to July 8. Defending champions Jamaica, who won the inaugural tournament which was also held in Tobago will be looking to defend their title against the five other regional teams – Barbados, Guyana, Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Windward Islands.
Also commencing on July 10th will be the month-long WICB Regional Under 19 Tournament which will be played in the Leeward Islands.
WICB Cricket Operations Manager and former West Indies batsman, Roland Holder said that the age group tournaments will allow the next generation of West Indies players to test their skills against their regional counterparts.
"These age group tournaments are critical in the developmental structure of West Indies Cricket as they allow for talent identification at a young age," Holder added.
"With the addition of the Under 17 tournament we now have a full menu of age group cricket without any gaps so players can transition from the Under 15 to the Under 17 and then to the Under 19," Holder explained.
"After these tournaments the players can then go on to play senior cricket for the respective territories while also coming into consideration for the Sagicor High Performance Centre, West Indies A Team and other developmental programmes in West Indies Cricket," Holder added.
"What is particularly important about the Under 19 tournament this year is that the ICC Under 19 World Cup is next year so we expect the competition for places on the World Cup squad to be fierce and the selectors will be paying keen attention to the best performers," Holder said.
The age qualifications for the three tournaments are as follows:
WICB Regional Under 15
Players must be under the age of fifteen (15) years before 1st September 2013. Therefore each such player must be born on or after 1st September 1998.
WICB Regional Under 17: Players must be under the age of seventeen (17) years before 1st September 2013. Therefore each such player must be born on or after 1st September 1996.
WICB Regional Under 19*: Players must be under the age of nineteen (19) year before 1st September 2013. Therefore each such player must be born on or after 1st September 1994.
*The ICC Americas Under 21 Team will participate in the 50 Over leg of the Under 19 tournament.
WICB Regional Age Group Tournaments Schedule
Under 17 Tournament – June 29 – July 8 – Tobago
Under 15 Tournament – July 10 – 26 – Jamaica
Under 19 Tournament – July 10 – August 10 – Leeward Islands (country TBC)
The schedule for each tournament will be announced once finalized.
Regional Under 15 Tournament Winners (Host in brackets)
1996 – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)
1997 – Barbados (St Lucia)
1998 – Guyana (Jamaica)
1999 – Guyana (Guyana)
2000 – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)
2001 – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)
2002 – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)
2003 – No winner (Jamaica)
2004 – Barbados (St Vincent)
2005 – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)
2006 – Jamaica (Antigua)
2007 – Windward Islands (Trinidad & Tobago)
2008 – Jamaica (Dominica)
2009 – Jamaica (Trinidad & Tobago)
2010 – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)
2011 – Jamaica (Trinidad & Tobago)
2012 – Barbados (St Kitts & Nevis)
Regional Under 17 Tournament Winner (Host in brackets)
2012 – Jamaica (Tobago)
Regional Under 19 Tournament Winners – 1983 onwards (Host in brackets)
Neal & Massay Series – 3 Day
1983 – Barbados (Jamaica)
Nortel Networks Championships – 3 Day
1984 – Barbados (Barbados)
1985 – Guyana (Guyana)
1986 – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)
1987 – Trinidad & Tobago (Jamaica)
1988 – Barbados (Barbados)
1989 – Leeward Islands (Guyana)
1990 – Jamaica (Trinidad & Tobago)
1991 – Barbados (Jamaica)
1992 – Guyana (Guyana)
1993 – Guyana (St Kitts & Nevis)
1994 – Guyana/Jamaica (Barbados)
1995 – Guyana (Grenada)
1996 – Guyana (Jamaica)
1997 – Guyana (Guyana)
Nortel Networks Championships – 3 Day and 50 Over
1998 – Rained out – 3 Day; Jamaica – 50 Over (Trinidad & Tobago)
1999 – Barbados – 3 Day; Jamaica – 50 Over (Barbados)
2000 – Windward Islands – 3 Day; Rained out – 50 Over (Guyana)
West Indies Youth Cup – 3 Day and 50 Over
2001 – Leeward Islands – 3 Day; Barbados – 50 Over (Guyana)
2002 – Barbados – 3 Day; Trinidad & Tobago – 50 Over (Jamaica)
TCL Group Championship – 3 Day and 50 Over
2003 – Trinidad & Tobago – 3 Day; Trinidad & Tobago – 50 Over (Guyana)
2004 – Jamaica – 3 Day; Barbados – 50 Over (Jamaica)
2005 – Trinidad & Tobago – 3 Day; Trinidad & Tobago – 50 Over (St Vincent)
2006 – Guyana – 3 Day; No competition – 50 Over (Guyana)
2007 – Guyana – 3 Day; Jamaica – 50 Over (St Kitts)
2008 – Barbados – 3 Day; Trinidad & Tobago – 50 Over (Barbados)
2009 – Jamaica – 3 Day; Jamaica – 50 Over (Jamaica)
2010 – Trinidad & Tobago – 3 Day; Trinidad & Tobago – 50 Over (St Lucia)
WICB Regional Under 19 Tournament – 3 Day and 50 Over
2011 – Jamaica – 3 Day; Barbados – 50 Over (Guyana)
2012 – Barbados – 3 Day; Jamaica – 50 Over (Barbados)
