A gifted but unlucky Keith Simpson

– set sights on Academy contract

For those who followed Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-19 tournament in 2018, Berbice premier left-arm spinner Keith Simpson was simply amazing with ball in hand.

He registered some stunning performances for Berbice at the inter-county level, including a ‘player of the match’ performance in the final of the tournament. After all his heroics, he was left out of the Guyana U-19 squad due to various reasons, none of which he is responsible for.

After such unfortunate circumstances, Simpson did not give up cricket. He moved from strength to strength, and is currently seen as one of the best spinners in the ancient county. The

Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club player reflected on his stellar efforts at the junior inter-county dream tournament. He also believes that he has what it takes to succeed at the senior level.

“I was disappointed and shocked at my omission from the Guyana U-19 squad. Throughout that tournament I did very well, and I knew that I

should have played in the Guyana U-19 team. I worked towards my game and did my very best, had two ‘player of the match’ efforts, had a lot of support behind me from Coach and Manager,” Simpson posited.

Despite all this unlucky scenario, Simpson still remains positive while dominating the local scene with his ‘tight’ left-arm spin. “My aim is to play franchise cricket, get a contract and work towards a Jaguars call-up in the future. I want to showcase my talent and register strong performances and someday play for the West Indies,” Simpson added.
His spell of 4-33 in the final of the U-19 inter-county back in 2018 was certainly a top performance. That spell was pivotal in Berbice completing the double. Prior to that, he had a man-of-the-match performance against the mighty Demerara team, which included Bhaskar Yadram and co. In that contest, Simpson claimed 4-23.
It is without doubt that some youth cricketers that perform at their optimum best are often overlooked when it comes to selection at the Guyana Youth teams. Simpson is among those unlucky youngsters who suffered non-selection after strong performances at a Junior inter-county tournament. (Brandon Corlette)