ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Ex-West Indies seamer Eldine Baptiste has been appointed by the government here to lead the country’s Elite Cricket Programme.
Sports Minister EP “Chet” Greene told the Antigua Observer newspaper that the former player was the best qualified individual to head up the programme, which will serve as an academy for young national players.
““Eldine, with his vast experience and being a former Test player, having played extensively in English County cricket, having played extensively in the South African circuit, is the highest level coach in the country … he is extremely qualified,” Greene said.
“He was the coach of the Stanford national team in the Twenty20 set-up and without fear of contradiction I can declare that Eldine is no stranger to cricket, to coaching, to Antigua & Barbuda.
“He shares the concerns, the aspirations of our people with respect to returning Antigua to being a major contributor to West Indies cricket and to West Indies returning to the pinnacle of the world game.”
The 55-year-old Baptiste played ten Tests and 43 One-Day Internationals between 1983 and 1990, and also went on to play first class cricket extensively in England and South Africa.
He also served as coach of Kenya for two years before quitting in 2011.
Greene backed Baptiste to successfully develop the local talent, which he pointed out was notably absent from the West Indies set up.
“This has to do with national concerns about the West Indies cricket brand being at its weakest and there being not a single Antiguan in the outfit,” he pointed out.
“It has to do with the preservation of our legacy as a main contributor to West Indies cricket excellence and so the appointment of Eldine Baptiste is intended to hone the talents in this area where our cricket is concerned and to provide an opportunity, an outlet, an avenue for training of our elite cricketers.”