After delivering a historic unbeaten performance at the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 competition in Antigua, the Barbados national under-19 men’s cricket team returned home to a warm welcome at Grantley Adams International Airport on Thursday night. The young squad topped off a flawless six-game run with a dominant 116-run victory over Jamaica in the tournament final, marking one of the most impressive under-19 regional campaign in recent Caribbean cricket history.
In a post-tournament press briefing, head coach Robin Parris credited the team’s unprecedented success to consistent effort, unwavering commitment and rigorous pre-tournament preparation that stretched back months. Dating back to the initial selection trials held back in April, Parris highlighted that every member of the squad demonstrated extraordinary dedication to their craft. “They turned out to every training session early, put in extra work to refine their skills, and the team dynamic never faltered throughout the entire campaign,” Parris explained. The coaching staff’s game plan focused on hitting the ground running from the opening match, establishing their dominance early, and maintaining focus one match at a time — a strategy that delivered a perfect win record across all six games. “The overall quality of competition across the tournament was really high, so to come away with every single win is a tremendous achievement for these young players,” he added.
Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) President Calvin Hope was on hand at the airport to greet the returning champions, and he urged the young athletes to build on this milestone and carry forward the legacy of Barbados’ greatest cricket icon, Sir Garfield Sobers, who passed away on June 17. Hope noted that Sobers, the legendary former West Indies captain, always followed the progress of emerging Barbadian cricket talent closely, never missing updates on young players’ performances across regional competitions. “A lot of expectations will come with this win, and we look forward to seeing you continue to push yourselves to reach greater heights in the sport,” Hope told the team. “In Sir Garfield’s name, I ask you all to hold him up as your example and carry on the high standards he set for Barbados cricket.”
Beyond the team championship title, the Barbados squad also dominated the tournament’s individual awards, with two players leading multiple statistical categories. All-rounder Justin Parris claimed the Most Valuable Player award after a standout tournament: he scored a total of 196 runs, including a century in the final match, and topped the tournament’s wicket-taking charts with 17 dismissals. Reflecting on his performance, Parris credited his team’s strong cohesion and his prior experience playing with the senior Barbados ‘A’ side for his success. “I’m grateful for how I performed, and I truly believe our team’s close bond was one of the biggest reasons we came out on top,” Parris said. Captain Gadson Bowens also earned a top honor, finishing the tournament as the leading run-scorer across all competing teams with 309 total runs — a total that included a double century. “This is such a proud moment for me and my family,” Bowens said. “My main focus from the start was committing fully to the coach’s game plan, which emphasized that solid batting would be the foundation of our success, and that guided me through every innings.”
In other final-round matches, Trinidad and Tobago claimed the tournament’s third-place position after a seven-wicket win over the Leeward Islands, while Guyana secured fifth place with a 53-run victory over the Windward Islands.