Post the excitement of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), regional cricketers are set to return to action this month in the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Super50.
The limited-overs competition bowls off on October 29 in Trinidad & Tobago, and seven Saint Lucians will be involved with two teams.
Five of the Saint Lucian lads will be members of the Windward Islands Volcanoes, including Kimani Melius, Shadrack Descarte, Johnnel Eugene, Noelle Leo, and Keon Gaston. The other two, McKenny Clarke and Ackeem Auguste, will play with the West Indies Academy.
The most experienced player at this level, 23-year-old right-handed opening batter Melius has 397 runs from 23 innings in List A cricket. The man from Boguis will want to improve on his performance from the 2023 season, when he played for the West Indies Academy.
He made 101 runs in six innings, with a 16.83 average.
In seven List A matches over the last two seasons, Descarte has 48 runs in six innings, with six wickets at a 5.37 economy rate.
But it is in the T20 game that the 27-year-old medium-fast bowler has made his name, with four wickets and 86 runs in 11 matches for the title-winning Saint Lucia Kings.
Eugene, 24, is a former Junior Cricketer of the Year. The son of one-time West Indies A team captain John Eugene, Johnnel is an extraordinary batsman who has played youth cricket for West Indies. He was also captain of the Windward Islands youth team.
Aged 20, Leo will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Millet native, and fellow wicketkeeper-batsman, Johnson Charles. Known for exceptional skill behind the stumps and with the bat, his standout moment came when he scored an impressive 98 in a game.
Gaston, a 20-year-old all-rounder, is from the community of Micoud. He has played for the Saint Lucia Sports Academy and Mon Repos in local cricket.
Playing alongside Melius with the Academy in last year’s competition, Auguste made 132 runs, fifth most on the team, with a high score of 76 not out, and an average of 33. The 21-year-old has 316 List A runs in 15 matches, with two fifites.
The third Saint Lucian in the Academy in 2023, Clarke took two wickets. Like Auguste a 21-year-old from Castries, Clarke has eight wickets in 11 List A matches.
PHOTO: Kimani Melius (right) with Cricket Association president, Wayne Auguste.
Congratulations young men..go and represent our country with pride
Good vibes ❤️. It’s always refreshing to read such articles … a lovely way to start the day. Congratulations and best wishes young men 🍾 🥂. Wishing you good health and God’s guidance and protection throughout your life-journey 🙏