By Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway
BVICA President, Richard Francis
A Combined Virgin Islands team, comprised of 11 players from the British Virgin Islands Cricket Association and three players from the St. Thomas Cricket Association, have been selected for the inaugural Leeward Islands Cricket Association T20 Tournament in Antigua and Barbuda. The team departed for Antigua on Thursday. Competition begins on Saturday and runs through June 8.
Including the Combined V.I. the tournament will feature six teams—Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla and a combined St. Maarten and Montserrat (Combined Islands) team.
“Most of the Leeward Islands Tournaments have been along the line of two-day games, three-day games and 50 overs games, so this is a first to have a T20 championship in the Leeward Islands,” BVI Cricket Association President, Richard Francis told The Daily News.
“There was a selection board from the BVI and one from the USVI, and cohesively, everyone would have come together and put the best 14 players from both territories. It’s really a fun tournament and it’s going to be a first for us, but I am confident that the team that is selected will go and perform to the best of their abilities.”
Francis said several of the players have played in other Leeward Islands competition formats at the highest levels of competition, in terms of what to expect while some have played before relocating to the BVI.
“We have a very balanced experienced team and I expect to see that would be transferred onto the field,” he said.
The Combined V.I. will face Anguilla at 3 p.m. on Saturday, the Combined Islands at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nevis at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and St. Kitts at 3 p.m. on Thursday and Antigua and Barbuda at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 7.
The team is comprised of Doyle Jones, Samuel Jones Jr., and Alexis Bedfored from the U.S. Virgin Islands. BVI players are: Jomel LaFleur, Richard Francis, Kieon DeJesus, Julian Bannet, Asvishkar Sewkarran, Ronniel Jeffrey, Gary Prince, Imron Smith, Ameri Hinds, Joel Williams, Reno Mettleholzer. Coach: Wayne Richards. Manager: Elvis Richards.
