CHARLESTOWN, Nevis , August 9, 2010 - Captain of the Leeward Islands under 19 cricket team Adelvin Phillip is the first to admit that his team performed poorly in the recently concluded TCL under 19 West Indies tournament. He however is adamant that his team was a very talented one and would have done a lot better had they been given the time to gel better.
He indicated that the team met in a two day camp in Antigua prior to the start of the tournament and played two forty overs matches –one versus a Liberta Club team and one against an Antiguan X1. They won the match versus the Liberta team and performed creditably in a losing cause versus the Antigua X1.
Phillip is proposing a camp of no less than two to three weeks for future tournaments so that the team could be adequately prepared.
Phillip was fairlly pleased with his personal performance and reasoned that the bowling partnership between himself and Damien Williams of Montserrat was the most lethal in terms of pace throughout the tournament.
He was also high in praise for Shane Burton who performed well throughout the tournament but also played a record breaking innings of 172 in the one dayer with no fewer than 16 sixes and he indicated that Hayden Walsh Jr. was awarded the Best Fielder award.
He believes that his team was better prepared for the one day format as even during the three day tournament, the batsmen were only talking about hitting fours and sixes—no mention of taking quick singles etc.
As regards the stand out players from the other teams he was very impressed with Kieron Joseph of Trinidad and Tobago and Royston Chase of Barbados.
Phillip is now looking forward to the selection of a West Indies under 19 squad which he understands will be participating in the upcoming WIPA 20/20 tournament. He is confident that based on his overall performance, that he will be a part of the team and expects the team to do well in such a tournament.
When questioned about the sending home of Nevisian spinner Wasim Mintos, Phillip indicated that he did not wish to speak on the matter but noted that contrary to rumours that he had heard, he did not have a part in the decision to send Mintos home early.
What’s next for the young Nevisian all rounder? He will be reporting to the practice sessions with the Nevis team which will recommence this week, look to break into the team, perform well enough in the Leeward Islands tournament, make an impact at the regional level and eventually make it into the West Indies team.
