Dominica’s Earshino Fontaine has been named as a reserve player for the West Indies Under-19 team ahead of the upcoming ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia in January.
Fontaine was earlier included in the squads for series against Sri Lanka and England this year and made a solid contribution across both tours. He recorded a top score of 39 in five matches against England and struck one half-century during the five-match series versus Sri Lanka. In total, Fontaine scored 195 runs across the two series at an average of 20.
It is also worth noting that Fontaine began the year batting at number three before being shifted into the opening position, a move that required significant adjustment. His omission from the final 15-man squad is expected to spark discussion among cricket pundits in Dominica in the coming days.
Meanwhile, top-order batter Joshua Dorne has been named captain of the West Indies Under-19 team. The squad also includes West Indies senior team player Jewel Andrew.
The West Indies have been drawn in Group D of the tournament alongside South Africa, Afghanistan and Tanzania.
As part of their preparation, the Windies will play warm-up matches against Ireland and Japan starting January 10. Their World Cup campaign will begin on January 15 with a group stage clash against Tanzania.
