– Blyden to join exodus of cricketers going to ply their trade overseas
Another former youth cricketer will depart these shores to take up a five-month contract with the Trinidad and Tobago Professional Cricket League.
Nineteen-year-old former Demerara Under-19 and senior player Travis Blyden, who was on the 2007 Guyana Under-19 standby list, was yesterday presented with a pair of Gray Nicolls boots by outgoing president of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Bishwa Panday.
Panday, who has given a commitment to assist youth cricketers in particular and to help in their development, said he was concerned about the exodus of cricketers.
He said that while he was happy to help Blyden in his endeavours, he was also peeved that such a system does not exist locally.
Blyden, who leaves tomorrow and will miss half oaf the local season, said that he would be returning in June.
“If talented cricketers are absorbed by the T&T system our local competitions will be diluted.
“It is most important to find an answer to the T&T League,” Panday added.
The GCA boss said that the whole issue of talent leaving the shores will have a three fold effect.
“If the first division is affected, it will affect the Inter-County level and this will in effect affect the national team,” he reasoned.
Meanwhile Blyden said that this will be his first trip to T&T where he will rub shoulders with other Guyanese in the league.
The youngster said he was about to call it quits in 2007 after not being selected for the U-19 team.
However, he was dissuaded by Panday from leaving the sport and the businessman promised to assist in whichever way he could.
Yesterday’s presentation of the pair of boots was one such commitment.
Panday declared that he was not totally out of cricket as he was still open to assisting boards, clubs and cricketers when called upon to do so.
