Dominican cricketer Earsinho Fontaine, who recently scored a century in West Indies Under 19 Cricket Championship has gotten a place on the West Indies Under 19 team to play Sri Lanka in the Caribbean.
Fontaine is part of what is being described as “a well-balanced squad featuring a unique blend of batting firepower and bowling skill, comprised of the best performers from the recently concluded regional Under-19 tournament.”
The opening four matches will take place at Coolidge Cricket Ground and the series will conclude at the iconic Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium at North Sound.
This series serves as vital match preparation for the side ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s Under 19 World Cup to be held in Zimbabwe and Namibia next January and represents a key component of CWI’s ongoing commitment to youth development, by providing emerging stars with invaluable international experience against quality opposition.
The regional side will also contest a tri-series with England and the USA later in the year to aid their preparation for the international showpiece at the turn of the year.
Sri Lanka’s Under 19 team, with its proud tradition of producing international stars, will arrive in Antigua on August 25 for five days of preparation before the opening encounter.
Cricket West Indies Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe stated, “We are delighted to welcome the Sri Lanka Under-19 team to the Caribbean for what promises to be a highly competitive and rewarding series. Encounters like these are invaluable to our cricket pathway, as they expose our young players to different styles of play, varying conditions and the intensity that comes with international opposition.”
“Beyond the immediate competition, this tour represents a development opportunity for both teams — allowing our players to test their skills, build confidence and understand the standards required to excel at the next level.”
“Hosting Sri Lanka reinforces the strong bonds we share across the global cricketing community and we look forward to an engaging and fruitful series that will aid the development of both sets of players.”
All seven matches will commence at 9:30 am and conclude at 5:00 pm, providing cricket fans with full days of compelling action.
Live streaming will also be available on the Windies Cricket YouTube Page with a live scorecard provided for each game on the www.windiescricket.com Match Centre.
The tour concludes with Sri Lanka’s departure on Tuesday, 16 September.
West Indies Under 19 Squad: Joshua Dorne (captain), Shaquan Belle, Brendan Boodoo, Tyriek Bryan, Afraz Ali Budhoo, Zachary Carter, Earsinho Fontaine, R’Jai Gittens, Micah Greenidge, Vitel Lawes, Pajay Nelson, Matthew Miller, Isra-el Morton, Jakeem Pollard, Aadian Racha, Johnathan Van Lange.
Team Management Unit: Head Coach – Rohan Nurse, Assistant Coach – Jerome Taylor, Assistant Coach – Dalton Polius, Physiotherapist – Kwayne Dalrymple, Strength & Conditioning Coach – Shayne Cooper, Manager – Clint St Hill. (www.windiescricket.com)