Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd, opening batsman Sachin Singh and pacer Qumar Torrington, all of whom are national youth players and members of city side, Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) recently returned from the West Indies Under-16 tour of England, a tour which they all stated was a great learning experience.
Guyana Times Sport spoke to the three players, who revealed that the next step now is to build on what they have learnt and further their careers after playing five matches against top English under-16 teams.
West Under-16 players (L-R) Ashmead Nedd, Sachin Singh and Qumar Torrington
Nedd said, “The experience was great, I learnt a lot about the English conditions, I leant how to bowl well and take pace off the ball; the weather was quite well, just one day was quite cold.”
The spinner, who would have made tours with the National under-15 and under-17 teams, said that adapting was difficult.
“Adapting to a different country to play cricket is quite difficult but I did adapt fast but I think it will benefit me overall in case I have to return anytime soon to play, I would be well aware of the conditions” the 15-year old stated.
Legendary West Indies captain and fast bowler Courtney Walsh was manager on the trip and provided great insights for the players according to Nedd.
“In the last game, he [Walsh] pulled us aside and talked to us about stuff we have to work on to better our cricketer, those stuff were being patient while bowling and working more on fitness,” said the bowler who had best figures of 2-22 against Merchant Taylor’s School.
Similarly, Torrington said “I was very excited when I heard I made the team, going to England; on the tour I was able to understand the art of swing bowling and what areas you need to put the ball.”
The right-arm pacer in commenting on the impact of interacting with Walsh said “I learnt a lot from Mr. Walsh he thought me how to be more consistent and it doesn’t matter if I’m not getting wickets, just stay focused and keep in the right areas, and the pressure will build and the batsmen will make a mistake.”
Torrington whose best figures were 3-10, said his main focus is to improve his fitness to reduce the chance of injuries and added that his aim while bowling is to strive for consistency rather than pace.
He said “for me, as a seamer, I look for a bit of pace but it is more about the line and length and being consistent in one area and that is what has given me success.
Meanwhile Singh, revealed that before he took the trip, he was seeking guidance on what to expect in terms of the conditions.
“Before I went, I spoke to some persons who gave me insights about the conditions in England, so my main aim was to play as late as possible since the ball would be swinging,” the cricketer explained.
The elegant left-hander, who had scores of 64 not out and 60, expressed that he is more confident with his ability with the bat.
“I had to adapt to the conditions, some pitches played slow while some had pace; I’m very confident now, just trying to be patient , not try to be complacent just play my game and look to be successful
In terms of the technical aspect to his game, he said, “Robert Samuels, the coach, told me how to play the drive better. I was giving away a lot of edges, so he told me I should look to play more freely.”
The National under-16 skipper said his next step, is to play for the West Indies under-19, after which forcing a spot in the National senior team in the future.
“It was a great tour for me on the first time, I could have done better at some games; my next step is to play for the West Indies under-19 and then hopefully the national team,” the young cricketer revealed.
The trio were the only Guyanese players selected for the 50-over invitational tournament which took place from August 10-21. ([email protected])
