Leeward Islands and West Indies Under-19 star Jewel Andrews has signed for local Premiership I leaders Marchin Patriots in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) competition.
The 17-year-old Antiguan is already in Trinidad and is set to play for Marchin Patriots against QPCC at the Queen’s Park Oval this weekend.
Andrews made his first-class debut earlier this month against Guyana and also played against T&T Red Force in Round 3 of the West Indies Championship.
The right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman scored 87 and 48 against T&T Red Force in Leeward Islands’ four-wicket win, and averages 38.00 after two first-class matches.
Earlier this year, Andrew scored 207 runs for the West Indies at the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup, including a century and a fifty, at an average of 69.00.
The Antiguan joins a Marchin Patriots team that has surged to the top of the TTCB Premiership I table with 64 points in three matches.
The Patriots lead Preysal (64), QPCC (51), Central Sports (49), and PowerGen (45) in the top five of local club cricket.
“We are absolutely thrilled to give a grand and enthusiastic welcome to the exceptional young star, Antiguan Jewel Andrew, as he proudly joins the esteemed Bess Motors Marchin Patriots,” a statement from the club noted.
“With great excitement and anticipation, we eagerly await the remarkable talent and boundless potential he will bring to the team. Here’s to a future filled with success, achievements, and unforgettable moments together,” the statement added.
“I have faith in the younger generation. There is something truly unique about him (Andrew), and I am confident that he has earned his opportunity,” Marchin Patriots captain and President Adrian Ali told LoopTT.
It is unclear at this point how many matches Andrews will be available to Marchin Patriots at this point, outside of this weekend’s game against QPCC I.
The club hopes to have Andrew available at least for the next two weekends before he is due to play for the Leewards in Trinidad.
Marchin Patriots also hope to have Andrew back with them after the regional first-class season ends.
The Leeward Islands are due to play the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Grounds in St Augustine from 13-16 March.
The Hurricanes will then face Jamaica Scorpions at Sabina Park, Jamaica from 20-23 March, before going back home to Antigua to face Barbados Pride at North Sound from 10-13 April.
The Leewards then close their 2024 West Indies Championship campaign against Windward Islands in Antigua from 17-20 April. (https://tt.loopnews.com)