BRYCE’S Cricket Development and Enhancement Academy founder Andre Bryce is seeking to empower vulnerable youth through cricket.

The upcoming 2025 Bilateral Youth Series aims to provide a platform for young cricketers to develop their skills, showcase their talents, and gain visibility.

Bryce spoke on the importance of this initiative.

“My primary goals for the continuation of this Bilateral Youth Series is to have the players compete in an environment that’s conducive for proper development, continue to harness their skills, and also to identify emerging talents who’re eager to make an impression but have no form of representation to propel them into society,” Bryce told the Jamaica Observer.

He stressed the need for a structured programme to support young cricketers.

“We would have seen in previous years where our young, under-19 cricketers who would have had some form of success playing at the schoolboy, regional, and international youth levels have been forgotten because of the absence of a cricket feeding programme that would help to sustain young, aspiring cricketers and help them to transition exponentially,” he said.

“So we, as an academy who have been around for 16 years to date, see it absolutely prudent to be very meticulous and strategic in how we execute our mission in the continuation of this great initiative at the Bryce’s Cricket Development and Enhancement Academy.”

The Bilateral Youth Series is the best of three 50-over games for under-21 players. Game one is set for November 22, with the second game on November 23, while the final game will be played on December 6.

Bryce says the series promises to be highly competitive, featuring top young cricketers from the West Indies and the USA.

“This under-21, best-of-three, 50-over Bilateral Youth Series promises to be one of the most competitive, intriguing and entertaining youth development series you can ever think of… it will help young players competing in the series to be stronger, more decisive in their execution, [develop] better game awareness that will help to prepare them for [a] higher level cricket,” he said.

“We’ve also extended an open invitation to players from the USA to join us for this historical under-21 youth series that will help to develop their cricket experience [by] playing amongst some of the world’s brightest, young, upcoming cricketers from the West Indies.”

The bilateral series will feature West Indies A batsman Jordan Johnson and former West Indies U-19 player Justin Beckford. Bryce emphasised the significance of this series for the young players, particularly those preparing for the ICC U-19 Men’s World Cup and regional competitions.

“This bilateral series will play a very significant role for our young aspiring cricketers, with three of our current players — Vitel Lawes, Tyriek Bryan and Pajay Nelson — now preparing for the West Indies Under-19 to compete in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Men’s World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2026,” he said.

Bryce is also appealing for sponsorship to support the initiative, acknowledging the consistent support of some sponsors while urging others to join in.

“I’m desperately appealing to the Indian community in Jamaica, corporate Jamaica, and potential sponsors in the Diaspora to come on board to support this great initiative which will be very beneficial to our young players’ development.

“We’ve also engaged in dialogue with potential sponsors from across New Jersey such as Holmdel CC, Parsippany CC, Punjab Cricket Club, New Jersey Giants, and more. Without your help a competition of this magnitude will not be possible. Your help will go a very far way in us securing food and refreshments, grounds, uniforms and equipment, match officials’ fees, players’ accommodation and travelling, and more.

“For the culmination of the series there’ll be a one-off 50 Overs game with West Indies young, super-gifted batsman Kirk McKenzie, national wicketkeeper-batsman Daniel Beckford, 2025 CPL champion bowler Khari Campbell, Nichalos Lewin, and others competing in that electrifying, high-intensity clash.”

BRYCE…so we, as an academy who have been around for 16 years to date, see it absolutely prudent to be very meticulous and strategic in how we execute our mission in the continuation of this great initiative at the Bryce’s Cricket Development and Enhancement Academy.