Basseterre, St. Kitts, September 26, 2018 (SKNIS): The St. Kitts Cricketers Team, who recently travelled to Montserrat to participate in the Leeward Islands 50 Overs Tournament, has brought home the championship for the third consecutive year, and the government, says Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Sports, Honourable Shawn Richards, is indeed proud of their achievement.
The cricketers were welcomed back to the Federation at the Ferry Terminal in Basseterre on Wednesday, September 26. Acting Prime Minister Richards commended the players for their outstanding performance.
“You went to Montserrat and you played well and indeed it’s not just the Cricket Association that is proud of the job that you have done, but certainly I am sure that all of the people in St. Kitts and Nevis and especially the cricket loving fans are proud of the excellent job that you have done,” he said.
The Sports Minister said that the team has made history by winning the championship for three consecutive years.
“You have indicated to the Leeward Islands that the first time you did it, perhaps they thought it was a one-time victory, but you went, you did it a second time, (and) you went back and did it a third time and so certainly you have placed your names in history. You have placed the name of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in the history pages of cricket here in the Leeward Islands having returned the trophy for yet a third time,” he said.
Acting Prime Minister Richards encouraged the players to keep up the momentum and not to become complacent.
“Now isn’t the time to stop practicing. Now is the time to improve upon your skills and to take your skills further than the Leeward Islands, further than the shores of St. Kitts and Nevis, but to the entire West Indies and to the world.
Acting Prime Minister Richards said that there has been investment in cricket in St. Kitts and Nevis and that winning the championship has shown that the investment has been worthwhile.
“I encourage you to continue to practice here is St. Kitts and Nevis,” he said. “We expect to see the community leagues; we expect to see the national league in place because there really isn’t much sense in going overseas and doing well but here at the local level you don’t see the development of the game.”
The minister urged coaches to encourage younger persons to play cricket to develop their skills because “after you it would be those younger persons we have to depend on to continue to repeat the victories on behalf of the Federation.”
