Melius Signs With Abu Dhabi T10

Saint Lucians will have great interest in the eighth edition of this month’s Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, with news this week that the league will include not only West Indies T20 opener Johnson Charles, but Kimani Melius as well.

The action bowls off on November 21 with a high-stakes opener between Team Abu Dhabi and the Ajman Bolts, setting the tone for 40 adrenaline-filled games.

Charles and Melius have both been announced as members of two-time champions Northern Warriors, along with fellow West Indians Sherfane Rutherford, Brandon King, and Shaqkere Parris.

Charles has previously played in this league, for the Bangla Tigers and Morrisville Samp Army. The West Indies veteran and two-time World T20 winner has made a name for himself in T20 franchise cricket, winning the Caribbean Premier League twice, first with Barbados Tridents and then, earlier this year, with Saint Lucia Kings.

Melius, on the other hand, is an unknown quantity in this format. He has played only three T20 matches between 2020 and 2023.

Approaching his 24th birthday, the former West Indies Under-19 captain has endured much-chronicled struggles, including a concussion early in the 2023 First Class season, just after scoring a brilliant 197 in an innings.

The electric batsman from Boguis has been in limbo for the past couple of months. He was handed a new contract with the Windward Islands Volcanoes, but was not part of their squad for the ongoing CG United Super50. He also trialled with Combined Campuses and Colleges.

The former record holder for the highest score in a single innings ever on Saint Lucian soil, 275, Melius was originally contracted to play in the Zim Afro T10 in September. He did not travel for that engagement, amidst a great deal of public speculation as to his eventual omission.

Zim Afro T10 is owned by T Ten Sports Management, which coincidentally also owns the Abu Dhabi T10 league.