OVER the course of the year, the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA) embarked on numerous competitions for both the male and female cricketers.
In the female ranks, SLNCA hosted the Alicia John T20 tournament. The winners of the tournament were South Castries, who faced Choiseul in the finals. This match was dominated by experience as former West Indies players, Verena Felicien and Phillipa Thomas-Eudovique, were the standout players for South Castries.
From these tournaments, they were able to select a team for the Northern Windward Islands playoff between Saint Lucia and Dominica. Saint Lucia won both matches convincingly.
Also from that tournament, the following ladies were selected to play for the Windward Islands in the CWI Women Super 50: Swayline Williams, Royline Cooper, Nerissa Crafton and Qiana Joseph.
According to the SLNCA, they are extremely proud of Qiana Joseph being named to the West Indies Senior Team on the back of her performance at this tournament. They also pointed out the work of young Nerissa Crafton, who was selected as the captain of the Windwards U-19 Ladies team. Nerissa and Qiana are both outstanding female cricketers and ones to watch for the future.
On the male side of things, SLNCA hosted the 50-Over Promotional League, which was won by Micoud. Micoud were able to make light work of defending champions Babonneau to attain this trophy.
In the two-day tournament, in a keenly-contested match-up between South Castries and Central Castries, the match ended in a tame draw due to rain.
The finals of the Under-19 tournament saw Central Castries come up against Choiseul. In this match the lads from Central Castries dominated the bowling of Choiseul. However, the deciding factor was once again the weather and as such the trophy was shared between these two teams.
Saint Lucia were again the winners of the Windward Islands Under-15 tournament and we saw a number of the young cricketers get a call-up to the Windward Islands team, including captain Keegan Arnold, AckeemAuguste, Efron Charles, UdelPreville,Tyrone Theodore and Jaden Elibox.
Saint Lucia was finally able to sit at the top of the Windward Islands Under-19 table albeit alongside Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Captain Johnnel Eugene, as well as vice-captain Kimani Melius and Dane Edward, were all called up to the Windward Islands squad.
Saint Lucia was also fortunate to have Kimani Melius called up to the West Indies Under-19 team for the upcoming ICC Under-19 tournament in January 2018.
Two young cricketers — Lee Solomon and Garvin Serieux Jr. — were also called up to play for the West Indies Under-16 team on their tour of England.