Saint Lucian Under-19 cricketers will once again participate in the Sandals/SLNCA Under-19 Cricket Tournament, starting January 25. Over the years, this tournament has served as a beacon of cricket development in Saint Lucia, with past participants going on to represent Saint Lucia, the Windward Islands, and the West Indies at higher levels, including Kimani Melius, Ackeem Auguste, and Tarrique Edward.
The tournament features eight district teams: Gros Islet, Babonneau, Central Castries, South Castries, Mabouya, Mon Repos, Choiseul, and Soufrière. It brings together the island’s promising young cricketers in a highly competitive national showcase. Matches will be played across four main venues around the island: Mindoo Phillip Park, Wenn Playing Field (Mon Repos), Phillip Marcellin Grounds (Vieux Fort), and Piaye Playing Field (Choiseul). This ensures wide community engagement and opportunities for supporters to witness the next generation of Saint Lucian cricketers in action.
The upcoming edition follows an exciting 2025 tournament, which ended with Gros Islet and Central Castries sharing championship honors, highlighting the closely contested and high-quality cricket the competition consistently delivers.
Sandals Resorts Regional Public Relations Manager for the Eastern Caribbean, Sunil Ramdeen, indicated that Sandals remains committed to investing in youth development, particularly in the sport of cricket for years to come.
“Over the past few years we have been extremely proud to see how this tournament has had a positive impact on preparing young Saint Lucian players for advancement to the national, territorial and regional teams. At Sandals, we believe in investing in the development and growth of our communities, and we remain excited to be part of this excellent partnership with the SLNCA.”
SLNCA President Wayne Auguste emphasised the tournament’s importance to the association’s development strategy, noting: “The Sandals/SLNCA Under-19 Cricket Tournament is a cornerstone of our player development pathway. It provides a critical bridge between school and senior cricket, allowing us to identify talent, instill strong cricketing values, and expose our young players to high-quality competition at a national level. We are deeply grateful to Sandals Resorts for their continued partnership and investment in youth development, which plays a vital role in strengthening the future of Saint Lucia and Windward Islands cricket.”
