When teenager Worren Harris stepped up to bowl in the finals of the Cheddi and Janet Jagan Memorial Cricket Competition at Moruca, NWD, in March this year, he immediately caught the attention of the large crowd of spectators on hand. Partially blind, the teen rolled his leg spin towards the opposition, dismissing several batsmen in the process.
Worren Harris, who has a foot disability and is partially blind, has said he prefers cricket over football
Then, as his team fielded, the crowd cheered along jubilantly as he ran behind the ball. This may be because Harris also has a foot disability; he was born with a congenital condition called ‘clubfoot’, in which the instep is turned inwards. It is the result of the tendons, which connect the leg muscles to the heel, being too short, and according to medical research, as an infant, one’s foot becomes twisted inwards or downwards. In Harris’s case, his foot is bent inwards.
As a child, Harris had sustained an eye injury following an accident, and, as a result, had lost sight in his left eye. But while he grew up with these conditions, the teen has left many in awe at his exceptional talent as a cricketer, and to a lesser extent a football player.
Best year ever
This year has been one of the best he has experienced, Harris has said. The teen, who is writing 10 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, saw a dream come true when he was selected in March to play for the Waramuri Village Cricket Team in the competition honouring the former Presidents. It was the first time he had received a call-up to represent his village in the sport.
“That was my first competition, and the biggest experience for me playing cricket,” the teen has said in jubilant tones.
Speaking with the consent of his parents, Harris said he has been playing cricket for some four years to date, and has noted that he specialises in spin bowling. He has said he uses his mental awareness to trap the batsmen.
“Part of spin bowling is making the batsman think something is going to happen when it isn’t so,” he explained. “I do not (do) so much with the bat, but I can be dangerous with the ball,” he has said confidently.
Indeed, he has been described as a game-changer since he dismantled the opposition in the finals of the T20 competition in March, which was played at the Kamwatta Recreational Ground in Moruca, North West District.
leading up to the finals of the competition, he played four games, and was allowed to bowl in three of those matches. Harris grabbed 12 wickets in total, including the wickets of valuable players during the matches.
Overcoming the challenges
Speaking about his disability, Harris has said he uses sports to overcome the challenges he has faced over time. “I was born like this.
I believe God has sent me with a purpose: to show other people that I can do whatever they can do,” he said.
Harris, who has a younger brother, has said it was a “tough road” growing up socially. “Growing up like this, I faced a lot of challenges,” he said.
Noting that there were times when he felt ashamed while socialising with others, since some would stare at him and he felt as if the world was staring at his disability, he noted that he has grown out of that phase of his life.
He has said that since he started playing cricket and football, he has been described as talented, given his disabilities. But as he aged into his teens, he grew more “famous”, as many would come out just to see him perform.
“In this little village where I live here, a lot of people have said good things about me,” he added.
Harris, who attends the Waramuri Primary School Secondary Top Department, noted that his family moved to Waramuri some 7 years ago from the Bonasika Creek area aback Parika, where he was born. During this interview, he said he has two additional subjects to write at the CSEC exams, and he expressed confidence of passing all 10 subjects.
<<Correcting his condition, and appealing for cricket gear>>
Harris recently visited the doctor regarding the congenital disorder in his foot. He said the doctor indicated that he has grown too old to have it fixed surgically. “The doctor said if I was 9 years old it could have been surgically fixed,” he explained.
Nevertheless, the teen is upbeat that the condition affecting his foot can be remedied. “I will be happy if my foot can fix, and that I would still be able to play cricket,” he explained.
The teen has said he currently plays with cricket gear which have outgrown their use, and with a smile, he expressed hope that sports enthusiasts would assist him to procure gear such as cricket gloves, bats, guards and pads, among other things.
As regards sports in his village, he has said there are many talented cricketers, but, according to him, there are not many opportunities for them to play in matches beyond the village.
“The opportunities are not really there for us to go out there to show our talent and compete,” he explained.
Harris has said he believes in himself, and this talented teen has noted that he depends heavily on self-confidence. “Self-belief and hard work will always earn you success,” he added.
Anyone who wishes to assist Worren Harris can contact him on telephone number (592) 680-3036.
