PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Former West Indies chairman of selectors Joey Carew believes the West Indies Under-19s trio of Jason Holder, Shane Dowrich and and Yannic Cariah should be furnished with retainer contracts.

Carew, a former West Indies opening batsman, said he had been impressed by the trio during the ongoing ICC Under-19 World Cup and urged the West Indies Cricket Board to quickly invest in the players.

“I certainly feel fast bowler Jason Holder, wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich and all-rounder Yannic Cariah are three players immediate attention must be paid to, along with Andre Creary and Kraigg Brathwaithe,” Carew said.

“Not knowing clearly what the selection policy of the West Indies Cricket Board is, one is left to wonder, what are the immediate and future plans for these players.

“I know a quantity of players have been retained and one wonders whether the investment in [these] would be beneficial to West Indies cricket as a similar investment in these three players.”

Holder and Dowrich especially have been standouts at the Youth World Cup in New Zealand, helping to propel West Indies to the semi-final stage of the tournament.

A tall, strong fast bowler, Holder has been among the leading wicket-takers in the tournament with 11, while Dowrich has scored 196 runs at a handsome strike rate of 98.

Already, captain Andre Creary and prolific opener Kraigg Brathwaite have been given retainer contracts.

West Indies bowed out of title contention at the semi-final stage following a four-wicket loss to Pakistan last Monday.

The Caribbean side clashed with Sri Lanka last evening in the third-place play-off.