Two of Saint Lucia’s most promising young cricketers are among a group of 18 young men who this past weekend were part of an official induction ceremony for the third cohort of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Academy.
Ackeem Auguste and McKenny Clarke are at CWI Headquarters in Antigua & Barbuda, where they will be based full-time for their year of training and development.
The 18 young men in attendance were addressed by West Indies cricket legend Courtney Walsh, an esteemed group of technical staff, cricket professionals, including CWI Director Enoch Lewis, and CWI Chief Operating Officer Lynford Inverary.
Walsh was greeted with a standing ovation by the enthusiastic players, who were bowled over by his record-breaking accomplishments on the pitch. Walsh, who still holds the West Indies record for highest Test wicket-taker (519), shared his unique perspective as a former player and left the young men with thirteen key points to consider.
Of those points, he emphasised fitness, which once allowed him to bowl an extraordinary 45 consecutive overs in one innings; the importance of constantly learning about the game, which he does to this day; striving for excellence in Test cricket as a foundation for mastering all formats of the game; and finally, to always enjoy themselves and this unique journey.
Auguste is a solid left-handed middle-order batter, who was named West Under-19 captain, leading the team on a tour of England and a home series against South Africa. Earlier this year he recorded a triple century in an under-23 match against Dominica.
Also 21, Clarke is a right-arm fast bowler, who played for West Indies Rising Stars in the ICC Under-19 Men’s World Cup. Along with Auguste, he has played for the Academy during the West Indies domestic season, as well as against Emerging Ireland. The two Castries youngsters have also been part of the Saint Lucia Kings setup.
Along with Saint Lucia Kings player Shadrack Descarte, and Windward Islands player Kimani Melius, himself a former West Indies U19 captain, Auguste and Clarke are part of the High Performance Centre, a collaborative effort between the National Cricket Association and the Government of Saint Lucia, through the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports.
Ramesh Subasinghe, Head Coach of the West Indies Men’s Academy, and CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe, outlined the year’s curriculum which, in addition to on-the-field training, focuses on skill development, personal growth, and leadership training.
The Men’s Academy programme offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes on-field skill enhancement and off-field elements like leadership training and media engagement.
PHOTO: (L to R) McKenny Clarke and Ackeem Auguste.
