Coley

Former Jamaica wicketkeeper and current Jamaica Under-19 coach, André Coley, has been appointed interim coach of the West Indies Under-19 team for the upcoming regional WICB President's Cup one-day tournament in Guyana.

Coley, who guided Jamaica to the regional Under-19 three-day and one-day double earlier this summer, will guide the team throughout the two-week tourna-ment, after which it is understood he will be assessed ahead of next year's ICC Youth World Cup, which will be held in New Zealand.

Good feeling

"I was told that I would be coaching the team on the weekend and it felt really good," said Coley who, along with Jamaica's seven representatives on the West Indies U-19 team, departed the island on Wednesday.

"I have put in a lot of hard work over the years, including this year when we won the three-day and one-day double and to know that it is paying off is encouraging. I plan to go over there and as usual give it my best shot and hopefully it will result in more successes," he added.

The West Indies Under-19 team, which will participate in Group B, along with hosts Guyana, Barbados and the Leeward Islands, will parade Jamaica captain André Creary and his Barbadian counterpart, Kraigg Brathwaite, as the only players with first-class experience.

Group A will consist of defending champions Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Windward Islands and the Combined Campuses and Colleges.

Creary represented the West Indies 'A' team against Bangladesh earlier this year, while Brathwaite has represented Barbados in the past.

Tough tournament

"It will be an extremely tough tournament. The majority of these players have never played at this level and will be a test of their character. But we have about five or six days to go before the tournament, where we hope to play a couple of practice matches and gel together and attempt to put our best foot forward," said Coley.

The Jamaicans named on the team are Creary, outstanding 15-year-old opener John Campbell, all-rounders Akeem Dewar and Jermaine Blackwood, wicketkeeper Kirk Harris, fast bowler Nicholson Gordon and left-am orthodox spinner Patrick Harty.

The team is completed by four Barbadians, three Trinidadians, three Leeward Islanders, two Guyanese and one Windward Islander.