分类： sports

After a 12-month hiatus, top-tier competitive cricket is making a much-anticipated comeback to the Caribbean district of Gros Islet this October, anchored by a four-team Twenty20 tournament and an ambitious new initiative designed to nurture the district’s next generation of cricket talent.

The Gros Islet Cricket Association (GICA), the organizing body behind the revival, recently completed a player draft that brings together a diverse mix of athletes: promising up-and-coming prospects from grassroots cricket programs, established players from local amateur clubs, and experienced senior team members, creating a blended competitive structure that prioritizes both performance and development.

GICA Chairman Joseph Hall emphasized the significance of the restart, noting that the district had been unable to host its annual domestic tournament in 2023. “We didn’t have a tournament last year. So this year we restarted our domestic competition,” Hall said. “We are trying our best to get all of our local players, our Under-19 players, our grassroots players, involved in the tournament.” The draft and tournament structure were intentionally built to ensure emerging young talent gets meaningful competitive exposure alongside more seasoned athletes, rather than being sidelined in lower-tier exhibition matches.

In a departure from past events, GICA is also welcoming eligible players from outside the Gros Islet district to join the four competing franchises. Beyond on-field talent development, the association is also investing in growing the sport’s off-field infrastructure by training new scorers, umpires, and other game officials, addressing a longstanding gap in local cricket administrative capacity.

Each of the four tournament franchises will be led by a high-profile local cricket figure: batsman and wicketkeeper Dominic Auguste, top-order batsman Jard Goodman, versatile allrounder Lee John, and former West Indies Under-19 national captain Kimani Melius.

Alton Crafton, head coach for the initiative, outlined the overlapping development pathways for the district’s young talent. Gros Islet’s Under-19 squad is already competing in a series of longer-format matches as part of the ongoing Saint Lucia National Cricket Association (SLNCA) Super 50 tournament, and Crafton confirmed that the October T20 tournament may also add additional longer-format development matches to help young players build skills across all forms of the game.

The revival of domestic cricket in Gros Islet comes on the heels of a historic run of success for the district’s programs in recent years. Local Gros Islet squads have claimed three major regional titles, including the Sandals Under-19 Tournament, the Saint Lucia Premier League, and the SLNCA Two-Day Men’s Tournament, demonstrating the strength of the district’s existing cricket foundation and building momentum for the 2024 comeback.

In a sudden shake-up to Saint Lucia’s senior men’s national football program just days ahead of the 2024-2025 Concacaf Nations League, interim head coach Francis “Baba” Lastic has been relieved of his duties just ahead of the team’s opening group stage fixture. Multiple football industry sources confirmed the development over the weekend, revealing that Lastic, a veteran assistant coach and former Saint Lucia international defender, was asked to step down from his interim role less than a week before the team hosts Barbados on Friday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

Lastic had overseen the team’s training sessions for weeks leading up to the Nations League, and continued leading preparation drills until earlier last week, when the change was finalized. The Saint Lucia Football Association (SLFA) has scheduled an official press conference for Tuesday in La Clery, where it will publicly announce Lastic’s permanent replacement and unveil the final 23-man squad for the opening phase of the tournament.

The vacancy for the permanent head coach opened up earlier this year when former manager Stern John departed the role. Contrary to initial expectations of a lengthy hiring process, the new permanent coach, whose identity remains under wraps ahead of Tuesday’s announcement, arrived on Saint Lucia’s shores last Friday and has already begun collaborating with the playing squad to finalize preparations for Friday’s match.

Just two weeks ago, insider reports indicated the SLFA had shortlisted the final pool of applicants and was nearing a final decision, but the speed of the transition still caught many in the local football community off guard. The sudden leadership change comes shortly after the SLFA appointed Miran Louis as its new technical director, adding another layer of recent institutional change to the country’s top football governing body.

Despite the unexpected upheaval in the technical staff, sources confirm Lastic’s abrupt removal has not disrupted team training or the selection process for the upcoming home fixtures against Barbados and Guadeloupe. Both visiting nations confirmed their final squads last week, and Saint Lucia’s roster is on track to be revealed on schedule this Tuesday.

A host of top domestic and overseas-based players are vying for spots in the final squad. Vino Barclett, a goalkeeper plying his trade with Montego Bay United in the Jamaica Premier League, is considered a lock for the roster, alongside his club teammates Melvin Doxilly and striker Kegan Caull. Overseas-based professionals Winger Caniggia Elva of Calvary FC and defender Terell Thomas of English side Carlisle United have also confirmed their availability and are set to join the squad for the tournament. Local top talent includes the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League’s leading marksmen: Yanic Noel of La Clery and Garvin Reggie of Dennery, who are both in contention for starting spots. Rounding out the pool of prospects are Vieux Fort South’s Gregson President and promising young attacking midfielder Shaquan Nelson, who has earned a call-up to the preliminary selection.

Caribbean cricket is set to take a landmark step toward gender equity with the launch of a groundbreaking initiative that could expand the Limacol Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) to a fifth franchise based in Saint Lucia by 2028. The project, spearheaded by the newly announced SHE CAN women’s cricket trust fund, is the brainchild of veteran Saint Lucian entrepreneur and business strategist Tarjia Julien, who designed the initiative to address longstanding gaps in professional support for female cricketers across the Caribbean.

For decades, top female cricket talent across the region has faced an all-too-common barrier: when major tournaments like the WCPL end, competitive opportunities dry up, forcing many skilled players to walk away from the sport entirely rather than building sustainable long-term careers. To solve this problem, the 12-to-24-month SHE CAN initiative will introduce year-round contracts for regional female cricketers, creating a continuous development pipeline that supports athletes between tournaments and nurtures talent from the grassroots level up.

The trust has already secured initial seed funding from a diverse group of backers, including existing investors from the men’s Caribbean cricket circuit, a community-focused Fan Pool Fund, and two high-profile current West Indies Women cricketers, Deandra Dottin and Karishma Ramharack. Beyond just adding a new franchise to the WCPL, Julien’s vision for SHE CAN extends far beyond the boundary rope, framing the initiative as a catalyst for broader social and economic change across the Caribbean.

In an exclusive conversation with St. Lucia Times, Julien explained that the project is built on more than just growing the sport – it aims to create a full ecosystem that moves promising young female athletes from raw talent to professional opportunity, and from public visibility to leadership roles across sectors. “For decades, women’s cricket in the Caribbean produced exceptional talent, but the professional structures needed to support that talent were limited,” Julien noted. “The emergence of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League has demonstrated that women’s cricket can attract audiences, inspire communities, and become a powerful vehicle for social and economic transformation. SHE CAN is important because it seeks to strengthen and build the ecosystem around the player and the fans.”

The initiative aligns with a growing regional movement centered on placing women at the forefront of Caribbean development, working to break down the interconnected financial, educational, and social barriers that have held back female athlete development for generations. SHE CAN is structured as a collaborative movement, bringing together fans, players, corporate entities, educational institutions, community groups, and regional governing bodies to build a holistic support network that nurtures talent off the pitch as well as on it.

Julien emphasized that the initiative’s success depends on collective action from across the region, calling on a wide range of stakeholders to contribute in ways that match their capacity. “There is a role for everyone,” she said. “Corporate partners can provide sponsorships, professional development opportunities, and support. Governments and institutions can support policy initiatives, facilities, and youth development programmes. Community organisations can help identify and nurture emerging talent. Mentors and professionals can volunteer their expertise to guide young women. Supporters and fans can attend matches, share stories, advocate for women’s cricket, and contribute to the movement. The true power of SHE CAN lies in collective action.”

The formal launch of SHE CAN, including the official establishment of the trust and its independent governance framework, is scheduled for January 27, 2027. Fan participation is open to all, with entry-level membership starting at just $25. The first 500 founding public supporters will receive special recognition at the WCPL Final following the launch.