Caymans ready for international debut

The symbolism of Monday's opening match of the inaugural Americas Cup tournament can hardly be missed - the Cayman Islands, total population 39,300 pitted against the United States, drawing on 10,000 cricketers in 35 leagues.

In their international debut match, the Caymanians, in Toronto, Canada for the five nation tournament to prove a point, the opponent could not be more fitting.

"For a while now, we've been looking for an opportunity like this," said team captain, Michael Wight.

"The most important thing is knowing how we compare with the other teams like the US, Bermuda and Canada," the 34 year-old added.

"I think we will be competitive with all of them - for a small island we have quite a good level of cricket there."

That standard, Wight says, has been reinforced through a steady influx of migrants with a cricketing pedigree from their Caribbean big brother, the West Indies.

While Wight and his brothers, older twins David and Christopher, and younger brother, Phillip, are the only likely Caymanian born players in the starting lineup, they do not lack that cricket heritage. Michael bowls legspin and bats in the middle order, David is a paceman who can bat, Christopher keeps wickets and opens the batting, while Phillip is a medium pacer/batsman. Their grandfather, Oscar Wight, played a Test for the West Indies on an early tour to Australia.

The vagaries of the British territory's citizenship rules has meant a dilution of the potential strength of the squad, but Wight remains confident.

"The restrictions of having to include nine locals in the team hurt us a bit but I think we still have a strong team.

"The team is basically made up of all-rounders with a lot of bowlers who can all bat."

Without facing a ball, the Cayman Islands' inclusion in the tournament, which also involves Argentina, has sparked a cricket revival back home.

"You could feel it once we got into the tournament," Wight said. "The interest in cricket on the island has really taken off. It has actually become quite a big sport."

The Cayman Islands Cricket Association fields 15 team in three divisions.

With the Cayman Islands team, like those of Canada, Bermuda and the United States, heavily dominated by expatriate West Indians, it is Argentina, ranked 20th at the last ICC Trophy, which has the greatest indigenous contingent at the tournament.

New Zealander Murray Davis is the only non-Argentine born player in a 15 man squad which has seven players aged under 23.

It plays Bermuda in the other match on Monday.