Persaud aims to break into Jaguars setup

By Timothy Jaikarran

Former Guyana National Under-19 Captain Travis Persaud has had his fair share of the limelight when he was younger. However, he continues to train hard, as he has committed himself to make the Guyana Jaguars Team, no matter what it takes.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport and being asked what is his main focus for 2019, the right-handed batsman and off- spinner responded, “(My) main goal is to get into the Guyana Jaguars Academy setup.
“Currently, I am training with them, but as an invitational player, not a contractual (one). After Under-19, I did not receive a contract from the GCB. I still continued to play for my franchise at the senior level (West Demerara) while working at NICIL. However, I never stopped playing, and I am still working hard.
“I copped the MVP and Batsman with the Most Runs Awards for 2018 at my club’s awards ceremony. I made 475 runs from 18 matches at an average of 32.6. Out of the 18 games, 14 were T20 games and the other 4 were 50-Over matches. I also had 17 wickets from the 18 matches I played, with best figures of 3-21.”

Persaud related that for the year 2019, he is the leading run-scorer for his club, with 301 runs from 10 matches, inclusive of 13 wickets.
In the ongoing West Demerara Cricket Association’s (WDCA’s) Beacon Cafe 50-Over Competition, Persaud, playing for Mc Gill Superstars, has thus far played two matches, scored two back-to-back centuries, and bagged 6 wickets at the miserly economy rate of 2.31 runs per over.
Asked by this publication what he believes he has to do to break into the Jaguars’ set-up, Persaud said, “In the upcoming GCB Local Franchise League, I will need to showcase my talent in order to break into the Jaguars’ set-up.
“I was told by the Jaguars Head Coach Esaun Crandon that I (have been) on the radar for a while now, and once I can string together some scores in the league, I will make my presence felt and will force the selectors to include me in the Jaguars’ set-up.”
Persaud has said that, at the end of 2019, he is hoping to achieve 500+ runs at the end of the 8 preliminary matches, while bagging 20+ wickets.
“I would like to thank my parents and family and friends for always supporting me. Also, I would like to thank the coaches in the Jaguars’ set-up (Julian Moore, Rayon Griffith, Clive Grimmond, Esuan Crandon and Michael Hyles Franco) for working with me and helping me to enhance my game,” Persaud has said.