BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, February 4, 2020 (MMS-SKN) — Thirteen-year old Déantre Drew, from Molineux Village in St. Kitts, is the captain of the 21-strong Leeward Islands Cricket Board (LICB) U-15 provisional squad 2020. Among those congratulating him include his Area Parliamentary Representative, Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris.
Player Drew’s latest exploits on the cricket field were proclaimed by Rev Ericson Cumberbatch of the Molineux Wesleyan Holiness Church, where the player is one of the ushers, during a Sunday worship service held on January 12.
“I was in church when the announcement was made by Pastor Cumberbatch, and I think the entire church and the entire community we are very proud of this accomplishment and we wish him well on the journey,” said Prime Minister Harris on Saturday January 25 when he met Déantre at a social event that was held at Bourryeau Gate.
Dr Harris, who was accompanied by Deputy Speaker Senator the Hon Akilah Byron-Nisbett, added: “We hope that he will be able to carry the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis proudly and successfully. He has now become one of our stars who we hope will shine, and he will get the fullest support of the government and the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
The Leeward Islands Cricket Board’s Selection Panel had on December 13 last year released names of the 21 players on the U-15 provisional squad 2020 and of those, five are from St. Kitts, and four are from Nevis. The other players are seven from Antigua and Barbuda, three from St. Maarten, and two from Montserrat.
Of the five players from St. Kitts, four are students of the Cayon High School. These are Ronvyl Williams, Kejorn Wattley, Rondell Williams, and Captain Déantre Drew. The fifth player from St. Kitts is Elijah Lewis who is a student at the Basseterre High School.
The four Nevis players are Carlton Pluck and Jevon Manners from the Gingerland Secondary School, Delroy Prentice from the Charlestown Secondary School, and Lyhte Browne from the Ivor Walters Primary School.
Prime Minister Harris, while wishing the team well, encouraged the players from St. Kitts and Nevis to be the best ambassadors of the country and to play their best with the expectation of lifting the trophy for the Leeward Islands.
According to information received from Mr Vernon Springer, Leeward Islands Cricket Board’s Cricket Operations Manager, Cricket West Indies Under-15 Tournament will be held in Antigua and Barbuda in the period April 9 to April 20 and the Leeward Islands Under-15 team captained by Déantre Drew will be battling it out with the other regional teams for top honours.
Déantre’s father, Mr Lenroy Drew, said he realised his son loved the game of cricket since he was in grade four when he started to play softball for the Cayon Primary School where his coach observed that he was good enough to play hardball cricket with the bigger boys. He ended up being the primary school’s captain for two years and took the team to semi-finals where they came out as the third placed team.
“His dream is to qualify for the West Indies,” said Mr Drew. “The games in Antigua in April will be used to select for the West Indies side, so they will pick the best players coming from the different countries.”
In the meantime Rev Ericson Cumberbatch, who is also the Forces Chaplain, said: “Déantre Drew who is a part of our church, is quite an exciting young cricketer. I am just so pleased to know that he has been selected to be part of the Leeward Islands Under-15, and that he is progressing very nicely – he has been to Antigua for trials and made it.”
Rev Cumberbatch observed that Elijah Lewis, who attends the Basseterre High School, “is our godson and he is also progressing very nicely. I have seen him develop and watched him play and realised he has the talent. We are expecting them to progress and go forward and actually become West Indies players – so we are looking forward to that.”
