PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC)

Several teams yesterday expressed confidence about their chances of winning the West Indies Cricket Board's Under-15 tournament which bowls today.

In the first round of matches, Trinidad & Tobago clash with Windward Islands at Gilbert Park, Jamaica face Leeward Islands at Inshan Ali Park while at Munroe Road, Guyana will face Barbados.

Manager of the Jamaican team, Robert Lewis said he was confident that his charges would do well in the series.

"Actually we have a good all-round team and in terms of winning I am not sure,since I have not seen the other teams, but what I know is that we will be very competitive," Lewis said.

Retained players

The Jamaicans have retained three players that copped last year's championship in Antigua, including captain Jermaine Blackwood, Rejiv Service and Sheldon Samuels.

The Leeward Islands have retained Hayden Walsh Jr from last year's team, and Manager Percy Danielle said he rated his side's chances as very favourable.

"We can win the tournament but we will have to play better cricket than our opponents," Danielle said.

Coach of the Barbados team, Sherwin Campbell, said they would be going all out to win the title.

"We have a very good team and even though winning isn't everything at this level, I believe we have a very good chance of taking the title," said Campbell, the former Barbados and West Indies opening batsmen.

"It's an exciting time for us as we have a very keen and lively group of players. I believe we have the team to win the title and I want the boys to showcase their talents.

"What we are doing is looking at the development of these players and this is the age where we have to get it right. We can't wait until they reach Under-19s. It has to be done now," added Campbell, who played 52 Tests between 1995 and 2002.

Good top-order batsmen

Left-handed batsman Anthony Alleyne, who made his debut in Antigua last year where he became one of the leading batsmen, leads the team.

All-rounders Kraigg Brathwaite, Dario Cummins and Marquez Clarke are also key players, while wicketkeepers Mario Rampersad and Shane Dowrich are good top-order batsmen as well.

Manager of the Guyana team Ian John said while they had a new team, he still believed they could do well in the series.

"Over the last two years, we did not play well but we have a good all-round team, with a 12-year-old left-arm spinning sensation Gudakesh Kanhai, who is bent on making a name in this series," John said.

Hosts Trinidad & Tobago are also fancying their chances and have benefited significantly from a personal developmental programme staged at the Sir Frank Worrell Centre last week.

Five players from last year's squad have been retained including Yannick Cariah, who is captain of the side, Yannic Ottley, Sachin Boodram, Ricardo Maikoo and Nicholas Alexis.

The tournament, scheduled to be played under a one-day format, will run until April 9.