BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Leeward Islands Hurricanes franchise is placing renewed focus on developing young talent, aiming to raise the standard of cricket across the subregion.
The franchise has made noticeable progress over recent seasons, displaying improved competitiveness and greater consistency in both batting and bowling. Their ability to bat for extended periods and bowl with discipline has strengthened, making them a formidable opponent on the regional circuit.
Currently competing in the regional four-day tournament, the Hurricanes sit in a competitive fourth place. Over the past two seasons, they have shown they can hold their own against more established teams like the Guyana Harpy Eagles and the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
During the penultimate round of the competition, the Hurricanes pushed defending champions Guyana, with the Harpy Eagles narrowly escaping with a draw on the final day.
Speaking at a recent press conference, all-rounder Jahmar Hamilton addressed the team’s progress despite the challenges faced by the smaller islands within the Leewards, particularly the lack of consistent domestic cricket.
“Over the past couple of years, it's all about grooming some of the youths. You know, we have the talent here, but it's just to pinpoint them and give them the opportunity,” Hamilton told SKNVibes Sports.
The Anguillan acknowledged the difficulties posed by the region's size and structure but emphasized the franchise’s commitment to long-term development.
“So it's been tough, it's been rough, but we've done our best in picking some players who we see can take Leeward Islands cricket further and also to the future—players who have West Indies cricket at heart,” he added.
In the penultimate round, the Hurricanes earned first innings points against Guyana. However, the Harpy Eagles bounced back with a second innings total of over 400 runs, forcing a draw after batting until the close of play.
Reflecting on that performance, Hamilton said, “I wouldn't really say it went wrong. St Kitts [Warner Park] is a very good batting wicket, and we know it'll be tough to get 20 wickets here.”
Despite the challenging pitch, the Hurricanes bowlers managed to restrict the typically free-scoring Guyanese to around 2.5 runs per over.
“It was very tough. But we tried our best. Kudos to the bowlers—they created a couple of chances. But it's cricket; chances are going to go down. I felt Guyana had a plan and they stuck to it,” Hamilton noted.
The Hurricanes are currently playing their final round match against Barbados at Warner Park.
