By Neto Baptiste
Nevisian and former West Indies player Stuart Williams is tipped to become the new coach of the Leeward Islands Hurricanes ahead of this year’s Professional Cricket League (PCL), sources have told The Daily OBSERVER.
Three coaches – which also include another former West Indies player, Antiguan Winston Benjamin – were shortlisted for the top sub-regional coaching job. Jamaica’s Andrew Richardson, who was recently named assistant coach of the Windies A, was also shortlisted for the position. But reports indicate that Richardson has since become unavailable to the Leeward Islands owing to other commitments.
Williams, according to one source, received the nod ahead of Benjamin given his experience in coaching at the top level.
President of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB) Enoch Lewis did not confirm or deny the reports, stating only that a final decision will be made this week and LICB will issue a press release as to who will take the team into the 2019/20 season.
Williams, a former opening batsman at the highest level, amassed 1,586 runs in 57 One Day International matches and 1,183 runs in 31 Tests.
In 2017, Williams was called in to replace former head coach Reginald Benjamin after the Antiguan was sent on “forced vacation” by the board.
The Leeward Islands Hurricanes finished third in the Regional 4 Day Championships with 134 points, marginally behind the 134.2 of Barbados. Guyana won the tournament with 154.2 points.
However, the sub-regional squad performed poorly in the Regional Super50, finishing second from bottom in Group B with just 13 points.