International Hall of Fame tennis star Billie Jean King said “champions keep playing until they get it right.” And if there is one youth cricketer in the country, who envisages the concept of working hard to achieve one’s goal, it is young Ashmead Nedd.
Ashmead Nedd
Taking up the sport since the age of five at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) in Queenstown, his immense passion for the sport is no way strange since his father Garvin Nedd is a former senior National off-spinner who played 14 First-class matches.
The 16 year-old who produces a classical left-arm spin action and is a gritty right-handed batsman, first donned National colours in 2013, playing for the under-15s in Jamaica. The u-15s category was certainly one his happiest since he said “2014 was most memorable year since we won the under 15 title after 14 years”.
Since then he has been a part of all the national youth teams, captaining the u-17s this year and playing a significant role in the u-19s completing the ‘double’ at the Cricket Wes Indies (CWI) Regional Under-19 Tournament held in St Kitts and Nevis in August.
In the three-day leg, he was adjudged the Most Valuable Player (MVP). He bowled 151.3 overs inclusive of 49 maidens and took 26 wickets. He had two five wicket hauls and best of 7 for 20 against Windward Islands which was deemed the most wickets in a match. Nedd also took ten wickets in the 50-over leg.
This came as no surprise when Guyana Times Sport spoke to the cricketer that he expressed a fondness of bowling as opposed to batting. Highlighting that Bangladesh world ranked all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and England’s prolific Joe Root are his favourite cricketers.
The Chase Academic Foundation Student has given himself some illustrious goals considering his recent success.
“In the next five years I want to see visible improvement in my game. firstly I’m looking forward to be called up for the West Indies under 19 after having a successful year at regional under 19 and take it from there”, the player disclosed. Getting Need away from the sport would seem to be an herculean task since he contended that if he was not a cricketer he would have aspired to be commentator of the ‘Gentleman’s game”.
The on-field enthusiasms for the West Indies u-16 player is fuelled from the overwhelming support from father and mother, a duo he adjudged as the reason for him being able to achieve what he has to date.
Given his stint in January 2015 playing for Tony Hartford U-17 Academy team of Trinidad and Tobago in tour of New Zealand, he is desperately hoping he can return to that country again, but this time in the maroon colours come January 2018 for the ICC Youth World Cup.
