Cricket West Indies (CWI) celebrated a significant occasion on 11 October 2024 with the official induction of the third cohort of its Men’s Academy, held at the esteemed Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua & Barbuda.
This cohort, notably, is the first to be based in Antigua full-time, where the 18 young cricketers will embark on a year of dedicated training and development, heralding a new chapter in the evolution of West Indies cricket.
The ceremony featured addresses from West Indies cricket legend Courtney Walsh, alongside CWI Director Enoch Lewis, and CWI Chief Operating Officer Lynford Inverary, supported by a distinguished assembly of technical staff and cricketing professionals.
In his opening speech, Inverary emphasised the academy’s crucial role in nurturing the next generation of West Indies cricketers.
“CWI has invested in you because we believe you are worth the investment. You are the future of West Indies cricket. This is not a one-off; it’s part of our long-term commitment to creating a high-performance system that ensures West Indies cricket thrives on the global stage,” he remarked, urging the players to rise to the challenge of representing not only themselves, but their families, countries, and the wider Caribbean community.
The young cricketers greeted Courtney Walsh with a standing ovation in recognition of his legendary career, which includes holding the West Indies record for the most wickets in Test cricket, with 519 dismissals.
Walsh imparted thirteen key lessons from his remarkable career, placing particular emphasis on fitness, recalling how his dedication once saw him bowl 45 consecutive overs in a single innings.
He also stressed the importance of continuous learning, excelling in Test cricket as a foundation for success across all formats, and, most importantly, enjoying the journey ahead.
The 2024/25 Men’s Academy cohort features a wealth of promising talent, including Ackeem Auguste, Jediah Blades, Joshua Bishop, Teddy Bishop, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Mavendra Dindyal, Nathan Edward, Justin Jaggersar, Johan Layne, Zishan Motara, Michael Palmer, Kelvin Pitman, Renico Smith, and Carlon Tuckett. (JC)
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