ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Sir Curtly Ambrose says he’s extremely delighted to share his immense knowledge and insight of the game with the aspiring players participating in the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 High-Performance Camp in Antigua.
The legend, one of the greatest fast bowlers of all-time with 405 Test wickets and another 225 in ODIs, is the specialist bowling consultant for the group as they prepare for the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (50 overs). The camp started Friday, August 6, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, where all 56 players will be participating, under the guidance of Head Coach Floyd Reifer and his team.
Sir Curtly will work closely with the young fast bowlers, as well as act as a mentor for the team. He will accompany them on the tour of England next month, where they will play six Youth One-Day Internationals at the County Ground in Beckenham and the Polo Field in Canterbury.
“I’m always available … always ready, willing, and able to help West Indies cricket in any way I’m asked,” Sir Curtly said: “This is a special for as I get to work with this group of young men who are the future of West Indies cricket. We have started really well, and they are very keen to learn and gain knowledge. We’ve had some fantastic conversations already and they have been picking my brain, so that tells me they want to learn and grow and develop.”
The Rising Stars U19 tour is a key component of CWI’s investment in developing the next generation of international West Indies Men’s cricketers. Following the tour, CWI will also be investing in further development camps and international matches before the World Cup. This will help prepare for the ICC U19 World Cup in 2022 and then beyond to help the Rising Stars develop to compete and perform at the elite level in regional and international cricket.
“We are looking at the overall development of each and every player and we want to make sure that everyone benefits from their time here and at the end they leave a better player and a better person. This is not just about the present, but we also have to look at the future,” Sir Curtly said. “I’ve watched them, and they can play. We certainly have some talented young men in this group. What we have to do is build on this foundation and look to develop their skills on and off the field, so we safeguard the future of West Indies cricket.”
