“The legacy of our legends must be embraced and utilized to help shape our future success.” This is the stance being taken by Cricket West Indies (CWI) and practically applied in the regional body’s most recent mentorship initiative.
As part of CWI’s ongoing commitment to nurturing regional talent, legendary West Indies fast bowlers Sir Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh are actively engaging with West Indies Academy players at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua.
The initiative began on Wednesday, May 21, with a powerful Legacy Discussion led by Sir Curtly Ambrose, who shared personal stories and insights on the proud heritage, global achievements, and enduring spirit of West Indies cricket.
The session served as a reminder to the Academy players of the prestigious legacy they are now part of as emerging ambassadors of the game.
Building on this momentum, the mentorship programme will continue with a series of technical and experiential sessions led by the fast-bowling greats.
Sir Curtly Ambrose will lead red ball scenario-based training, focusing on match awareness, tactical execution, and mindset development on May 26–27, while on June 2–3 Courtney Walsh will guide the players through a two-day practice match, offering in-depth mentoring as part of his role as Bowling Mentor.
CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, welcomed the initiative.
“There is no greater inspiration for our young players than learning directly from the legends whose names are etched in the history of West Indies cricket. This initiative not only enhances their technical skills but also helps instill the values, pride, and passion that define what it means to wear the maroon,” he said.
Academy Head Coach Ramesh Subasinghe spoke about the importance of historical education in the development of the young players.
“For our young players, understanding the history of West Indies cricket is just as important as developing their technical and tactical skills. Having legends like Sir Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh share their journeys, approaches, and values bring a depth of learning that no textbook or training manual can offer. It connects our players to something greater than themselves—it reminds them of the legacy they’re carrying forward every time they step onto the field,” he said.
The mentorship sessions are part of a broader player development strategy being rolled out by CWI to ensure that promising young cricketers receive world-class guidance both on and off the field.
In two-weeks time, the Academy takes on their counterparts from Sri Lanka here in Antigua, in two four-day first-class matches and three 50-over matches to be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground and the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, respectively.
