Leeward Islands cricket team
Captain: | Devon Thomas (List A & First-class) |
---|---|
Coach: | Eldine Baptiste[1] |
Colours: | Maroon, gold |
Founded: | 1980 |
Home ground: |
Antigua Recreation Ground Warner Park Sporting Complex |
Four Day wins: | 3 (plus 1 shared) |
WICB Cup wins: | 5 (plus 2 shared) |
Twenty20 wins: | 0 |
Official website: | Leeward Islands |
The Leeward Islands cricket team is a first class cricket team representing the member countries of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association, a regional association which again is part of the West Indies Cricket Board. Contrary to the normal English definition of the Leeward Islands, Dominica is not included – for cricketing purposes Dominica is a part of the Windward Islands. As such, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands[2] and Sint Maarten[3] are all part of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association. The team does not take part in any international competitions (although the member nation of Antigua and Barbuda took part at the 1998 Commonwealth Games), but rather in inter-regional competitions in the Caribbean, such as the West Indies' Professional Cricket League (which includes Regional Four Day Competition and the NAGICO Regional Super50), and the best players may be selected for the West Indies team, which plays international cricket. The team competes in the Professional Cricket League under the franchise name Leeward Islands Hurricanes.[4] The Leeward Islands has won a total of ten domestic titles – four in first class cricket and six in one-day cricket, but their last title was in 1997–98 when they won the double (although the first-class title was shared with Guyana).
The Leeward Islands played their inaugural first-class game in 1958, and lost by an innings and 19 runs to Jamaica. However, their first win did not come until 1968–69, when they beat Guyana by 43 runs at the Warner Park Sporting Complex ground. From 1965–66 to 1980–81 the team competed as the Combined Islands in first-class cricket, along with the best cricketers from the Windward Islands. However, when regular one-day competitions began in 1975–76 the island groups were separate, and the Leeward Islands won on their third outing in 1977–78.
In 1981–82 the Leeward Islands made their debut in the Shell Shield with a 57-run win over the Windward Islands (the season after the Combined Islands had won the title), but it was to take eight seasons until they could lift the first-class trophy – which by then had been renamed the Red Stripe Cup. From 1989–90 to 1997–98, however, the Leeward Islands won five first-class titles (one shared) and four one-day titles (one shared), but since then they have failed to win any major trophy in the West Indies.
Squad
Listed below are players who have represented the Leeward Islands in either the 2015–16 Regional Four Day Competition or the 2015–16 Regional Super50. Players with international caps are listed in bold.
Name | Birth date | Batting style | Bowling style | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batsmen | |||||
Daron Cruickshank | 17 June 1986 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | ||
Montcin Hodge | 29 September 1987 | Left-handed | Left-arm orthodox | ||
Chesney Hughes | 20 January 1991 | Left-handed | Left-arm orthodox | ||
Shane Jeffers | 12 September 1981 | Left-handed | Right-arm medium | ||
Steve Liburd | 26 February 1985 | Right-handed | Right-arm off spin | Captain | |
All-rounders | |||||
Nkruma Bonner | 23 January 1989 | Right-handed | Right-arm leg spin | ||
Rahkeem Cornwall | 1 February 1993 | Right-handed | Right-arm off spin | ||
Orlando Peters | 10 May 1988 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | ||
Sherwin Peters | 2 May 1990 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | ||
Jacques Taylor | 19 April 1988 | Right-handed | Right-arm off spin | ||
Wicket-keepers | |||||
Jahmar Hamilton | 22 September 1990 | Right-handed | Captain | ||
Jaison Peters | 22 November 1989 | Right-handed | |||
Bowlers | |||||
Quinton Boatswain | 16 October 1990 | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ||
Nelson Bolan | 29 November 1990 | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ||
Odean Brown | 8 February 1982 | Right-handed | Right-arm leg spin | ||
Colin Hamer | 6 February 1988 | Right-handed | Right-arm leg spin | ||
Alzarri Joseph | 20 November 1996 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | ||
Jeremiah Louis | 12 March 1996 | Right-handed | Right-arm medium-fast | ||
Gavin Tonge | 13 January 1983 | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium |
Note: Liburd was captain for the Regional Four Day Competition and Hamilton was captain for the Regional Super50.
Source: Regional Four Day Competition, Regional Super50
Notable players
The list of prominent cricketers who have represented the Leeward Islands includes:
- Curtly Ambrose
- Kenny Benjamin
- Winston Benjamin
- Ridley Jacobs
- Viv Richards
- Richie Richardson
- Andy Roberts
- Eldine Baptiste
- Sylvester Joseph
- Keith Arthurton
- Derick Parry
- Stuart Williams
- Runako Morton
- Kieran Powell
- Omari Banks
- Lionel Baker
- Adam Sanford
Grounds
The Leeward Islands play cricket on all the islands, though the only ground to have seen Test cricket (and also the ground with the most home matches, with 50 first-class games) is the Antigua Recreation Ground. However, their last match at the ARG was in February 2009, while another traditional ground, Warner Park in St Kitts, with 28 first-class games with Leeward Islands, was revamped for the 2007 Cricket World Cup. In the 2004–05 season, the Leeward Islands played their home games at Salem Oval (Montserrat), Edgar Gilbert Sports Complex (St Kitts), Carib Ground (St Maarten), Addelita Cancryn Junior High School Ground (St. Thomas) and Grove Park (Nevis).
Honours
- Regional Four Day Competition (4): 1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1997–98 (shared)
- Domestic one-day competition (7): 1977–78 (shared), 1981–82, 1992–93 (shared), 1993–94, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2010–11
References
- ↑ Neto Baptiste (9 February 2013). "LICA head speaks on Baptiste's new position". Antigua Observer. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
- ↑ Leeward Islands Cricket Association – Club Detail
- ↑ Leeward Islands have played at least three home First-class matches in Sint Maarten
- ↑ Jamaica Franchise at home against Leeward Islands Hurricanes