Kingston Wharves U15 tournament to feed Jamaica's 2027 Rising Stars squad

The Jamaica Cricket Association is turning to the Kingston Wharves Under-15 competition to help build its squad for the 2027 Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Under-15 Championship, after the tournament's 35th edition was launched on Tuesday at Boys' Town Cricket Club in Trench Town.

Jamaica's Under-15 side lost 3-1 at home to Trinidad and Tobago earlier this year in a five-match bilateral series under CWI's revised format. Officials say the local competition will give national selectors a clearer look at players ready for regional duty.

Organisers described the event as a development pathway designed to give youngsters as many matches as possible before stronger performers face each other. Selectors are expected to identify roughly 24 players to begin preparation for the 2027 regional tournament.

The Kingston Wharves programme is regarded as a cornerstone of Jamaica's cricket pathway, where young players are first identified, coached and shaped for higher levels. It is also the island's longest-running sponsored cricket competition.

Rule changes introduced last year barred overage players, leaving many participants aged 13 and 14 with two years still available in the tournament. About six members of this year's national Under-15 side remain eligible, and players from Jamaica's Under-19 women's team are also permitted to take part.

Beyond match play, organisers say the sponsorship supports broader youth development, including teamwork, discipline and decision-making. The format was also overhauled last year to add a training camp aimed at lifting skills beyond competitive fixtures alone.

Under the revised structure, towns and parishes compete in a preliminary round. County selection panels then choose about 15 players for each county side, while a separate development squad is also named to keep more youngsters in the programme for future seasons.

In the opening fixture after the launch, Melbourne Under-15 beat hosts Boys' Town Under-15 by 31 runs. Batting first, Melbourne were dismissed for 86 in 49.2 overs, with Caleb Dickson top-scoring on 26. Boys' Town's Marcus Bryan took 4 for 27 and captain Roger McGlashen 4 for 42.

Chasing, Boys' Town collapsed to 55 in 14.4 overs despite McGlashen's 40, with six batters failing to score. Melbourne captain Ansel Crawford claimed 8 for 19, while Keemo Grant took the remaining two wickets and bowled two maidens in two overs.

The competition continues on Friday with fixtures across four zones islandwide.