Creary retains captaincy of Jamaica U19s

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The West Indies Youth all-rounder Andre Creary will captain Jamaica for the second year in a row in the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 cricket tournament this summer in Jamaica.

Creary, who won the most outstanding batsman award – compiling 414 runs – for last year’s tournament in Barbados, is skipper of a 14-member squad released Wednesday evening by the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA).

The TCL U19 series, featuring a three-day and one-day tournament, is slated for July 9 to August 5 and the hosts are listed to open their campaign against reigning limited overs champions Trinidad and Tobago at Kensington Park when the three-day championship starts on July 9.

The Jamaica squad includes several players from last year’s tournament, including Creary, Jermaine Blackwood, Courtnay Allen, Romeo Dunka and John Campbell.

Creary, who represented West Indies U19s at the ICC Youth World Cup in Malaysia, will bid to lead his side to an improved showing after missing out on a top three spot last year.

Andre Coley is retained as coach and Fritz Harris as manager and the JCA named Hanchard Hamilton, Donovan Nelson, Kemar Marshall, and Omar Samuels as reserves.

SQUAD: Andre Creary (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Paul Palmer, Nicholas Gordon, Kirk Harris, Garth Garvey, Brian Clarke, Courtnay Allen, Ramon Senior, John Campbell, Patrick Harty, Jermaine Cole, Romeo Dunka, Akeem Dewar.

Reserves: Hanchard Hamilton, Donovan Nelson, Kemar Marshall, Omar Samuels.