Joshua James setting sights on West Indies selection

JOSHUA JAMES of Whim is on a mission to wear the White and also maroon colours of the West Indies cricket team.

James' accolades in the gentle man’s game to date does justice to his ambitions.

The 20-year-old all-rounder is the first Tobagonian to represent the West Indies Under-19 team. He played six matches for the Caribbean side in the 2020 ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.

James was also drafted by the Jamaica Tallawahs cricket franchise for the 2021 Caribbean Premier League.

He is currently honing his skills on the swing friendly pitches in England for the Evenwood Cricket Club in Durham.

James was introduced to the game at seven years old while he was a standard one student at the Whim Anglican Primary School.

One day after school, James said he was watching his older brothers train with the school team when coach Brian Browne, who would later turn out to be his mentor, handed him a bat and started bowling a few balls at him.

He said that moment gave him the spark to some day follow his older brothers into the school team.

That inspirational thought was the foundation for his success.

James subsequently captained the primary school team to one of their three national titles and was acclaimed Tobago Primary School Cricketer of the Year on four occasions.

His tenure at Signal Hill Secondary was decorated with several memorable accomplishments.

James prolific performances with bat and ball for his school team helped to create history in 2017 when they became the first Tobago secondary school to win a championship in the National Secondary Schools Cricket League.

James was also adjudged National Secondary School Cricketer of the Year on two occasions.

More success followed James in 2017 with his club team Scarborough/Mason Hall. His all-round exploits that year enabled Scarborough/Mason Hall to capture the Tobago Cricket Association two-day league and 40-overs titles, while they were runners-up in the T20 competition.

His stats that season made him an easy choice for the Tobago Youth Cricketer of the Year.

Amin Forgenie, coach at St Benedict’s College in Trinidad, had always expressed an interest in his talent so James took up the offer to complete his Fifth Form year at the College in order to boost his career.

Forgenie wasted no time in drafting James into Barrackpore United cricket club where he was technical director.

James recounted that his most distinguished episode at Barrackpore United was winning the Central Super League T20 final versus Aranguez Sports Club in 2019.

Following his selection to the Trinidad and Tobago team for the regional Under-19 cricket tournament, James earned the approval of West Indies coach Graeme West with a pick on the Caribbean team for the ICC Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.

He described the experience of playing with the regional team against the best young players in the world as the most inspiring phase of his young cricket career.

In the six matches, James batted at number nine and tallied made 83 runs, at an average of 41.50, with a strike rate of 107.79, and a highest score of 43 runs against Nigeria.

In the bowling department, James ended the tournament with five wickets at an average of 32.00 along with an economy rate of 5.58 runs per over.

James, whose favourite cricketer is Jamaican and West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell, said the opportunity with the Jamaica Tallawahs came as a result of his performances in South Africa.

James is enjoying a fantastic inaugural season in England where he has already scored three centuries for his club, the highest being 150 not out in a 45-overs match.

James, who has six brothers in the sport, said his parents Michael James and Suzette Mc Letchie provide support in his low moments, and are also his biggest fans.

James' advice for young persons is get up and work hard for what you want and he promises that the sacrifices will reap benefits as nothing comes easy in life.