News Releases

UWI-based players take the field alongside the West Indies

For Release Upon Receipt - July 9, 2009

St. Augustine


At this weekend’s three-day encounter against the touring Bangladeshis at Kensington Oval, the West Indies cricket starting line-up was joined by several players from The University of the West Indies-based (UWI) Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC). Left-handed opening batsman Omar Philips, fast bowler Kevin Mc Clean and off-spinner Ryan Austin, all of whom chalked up remarkable accomplishments while playing for CCC in the 2009 West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) first-class competition, relished the chance to advance their careers in cricket.

Ryan Austin, the tournament’s leading bowler with 60 wickets, hailed this achievement as especially gratifying since an ankle injury had sidelined him the previous year. “Given this opportunity, I hope to put it to good use knowing that a good performance in this game could help me to reach the next level since playing for the West Indies senior team is the ultimate ambition of almost everyone who is seriously involved in this sport,” he said on the eve of the match.

Kevin McClean, a bowling all rounder who is turning out in regional colours for the second time this year after representing the “A” team against England in St. Kitts, will be pressing for inclusion in the senior team. He deemed his second call up to the “A” team “an honour” noting that his hard work in recent seasons appears to be paying off.

Omar Philips, an attacking opener, joined an elite band of cricketers when he converted his maiden century into a double hundred; hitting 204 against the Leeward Islands in Nevis. He also gained valuable leadership experience as captain of the CCC team.

The trio was full of praise for the facilities and organisational structure at the 3Ws Oval where the CCC team is based, saying the level of support and professionalism from all involved have contributed significantly to their success.

For more UWI News, click http://sta.uwi.edu/news.

ABOUT UWI

Over the last six decades, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged University with over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI recently launched its Open Campus, a virtual campus with over 50 physical site locations across the region, serving over 20 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences.

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