A new generation of young female cricket talent from Saint Lucia is set to take the regional stage this summer, with six players named to the Windward Islands roster for the 2025 Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Women’s Under-19 Tournament, hosted this August in Trinidad and Tobago. In a noticeable shift for the program, only one of the six selected Saint Lucia athletes returning to the squad competed in last year’s tournament, bringing fresh energy to the regional side.
Key veteran leaders from previous iterations of the team are no longer eligible to compete at the under-19 level, including former captain Natalia Phillip and Selena Ross, a fast bowler who has already represented the West Indies at the under-19 international level. This turnover opens the door for more emerging players to step into leadership roles, with Ammie Antoine positioned as one of the squad’s most experienced returning cricketers. Antoine already holds experience at the senior regional level, alongside fellow Saint Lucia bowler Gillia McLaurent; the pair were part of the Saint Lucia senior squad that claimed third place in the January edition of the Windward Islands Women’s T20 Championship.
The remaining four selections are all first-time call-ups to the Windward Islands under-19 squad: Avannelle Leo, Brianna Marcellin, Morgan Octave and Emma Joseph. All four young prospects have cut their teeth in the structured women’s youth development initiatives operated by the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association over the past two years, a pipeline that has prepared them for their first regional competitive opportunity.
Leading the full Windward Islands squad into the tournament is expected to be Amiah Gilbert, a player who already holds international caps with the West Indies Under-19 team. The 2025 tournament follows last year’s championship, which saw Barbados claim the title after defeating the Leeward Islands by seven wickets in a decisive final match.