AGE 19. Born October 21, 1981. TEAM AND ROLE Left-handed opening batsman and slip fielder for Windward Islands and West Indies Under-19.

BACKGROUND Comes from Grenada, the Spice Island that has produced only two Test cricketers, Junior Murray and Rawl Lewis. Made first-class debut for Windwards in January 1999 in Busta Cup against Barbados. Vice-captain of WI U19 for tour of England in 2001.

STYLE Flamboyant with a slightly open, two-eyed stance. Seems to subscribe to the Adam Gilchrist everything-must-go policy. Superb cover driver and not shy of the hook.

CHARACTER Hard-working and massively confident in his own ability, as his aggressive strokeplay suggests. Responded well to added responsibility of vice-captaincy of WI U19.

CAREER RECORD Had played 18 first-class matches before touring England with WI U19 in 2001. Averages only 20 with two fifties.

HIGHLIGHTS Made 79 out of 203 (only three double-figure scores) in a 215-run victory over Leeward Islands in January 1999. Made 30 and 42 (his best of the tournament) against England A in 2000-01 Busta Cup. First six innings against England U19 in 2001 (one-dayers and Tests) were: 75, 66, 102*, 54, 90, 169. That last innings, off 245 balls with 27 fours and two sixes in the second Test at Trent Bridge, was made after he was hit on the left hand in the first over of the match.

OUR VIEW He has been comfortably the best batsman on either side in the U19 series against England and was, at times, impossible to bowl to. He is part Gilchrist and part Greenidge - brave, aggressive and ready to take on the bowling from the first ball but with a solid defence to match. Needs a good Busta Cup series for the Windwards to further his claim for higher honours.

EXPERT VIEW Gus Logie, WI U19 coach, says: "Devon has been a revelation on this tour. He showed potential but that's all it was. Here he has transformed that into performance. He has shown the maturity and consistency to play a big innings that we are looking for from young players in the Caribbean. He's responded well to challenging situations and can go from strength to strength. He has got the recognition that he needs, now it's up to him to keep proving people right. If he continues to work on his game with the same intensity then the West Indies selectors will have to take notice of him. The only slight technical problem that might affect him is the amount that he hits the ball in air. As he gets to higher levels of the game, he might have to think about that."

John Stern is assistant editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly.

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