Despite the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) threatening the cricket landscape for the 2020 season, teenaged West Berbice cricketers, Seon Glasgow and Nigel Deodat are working hard to excel in this year’s under-19 tournament.
Stabroek Sport caught up with the Blairmont Cricket Club duo who gave an insight into life off the field. “Things are different now with the virus, there aren’t any matches so we are just here working on our own and improving our fitness and some other areas,” Glasgow said.
Deodat added, “In times like this we are happy to have our family near and spend quality time with them.”
However, both of them are focused on moving their career further through exceptional performances in the local Inter-County and Regional under-19 tournaments while staking their claim for selection in the Academy set up.
Glasgow is an explosive batsman who had four innings for West Berbice in the CGI 50-over Franchise League and was the only other batsman to score a half-century apart from their leading run-getter, Kevin Sinclair.
With his off-spin, the former Bush Lot Secondary School student turned teacher, picked up four for 31 against East Bank while bowling only two overs in the next few matches.
His exploits have been spotted from early as he secured places in the Guyana under-15, under-17, and under-19 teams as he progressed.
It came as no surprise in 2017, Glasgow was considered a future Guyana Amazon Warrior player by Guyana Telephone and Telegraph, who invested heavily in him after he showed promise as a 15-year-old talent.
The talented 18-year-old credits the gentleman’s game to his development, pointing out “Cricket means a lot to me because since I was growing up, I had a passion for it especially since my father used to play…it has helped me to become who I am on-and-off the field.”
Glasgow added, “Cricket helps me to be more disciplined and teaches me how to cope with different situations life throws at you.”
The off-spinner also credited established coaches, Julian Moore and Andre Percival for their input in his budding career but emphasized that Shabeer Baksh has played the role of a mentor for him in his growth.
Glasgow reckoned that he does not shy away from hard work and consistency, contending that these are the hallmarks that will get him closer into the Academy.
“This year I am hoping to gain an academy contract, it’s just going and applying myself in the under-19 Inter-County and Regional tournaments where I want to score a lot of runs and be the leading wicket-taker,” Glasgow said.
The left-hander posited that he has been working extensively on his all-round game, with the intention of becoming the best all-rounder in the region this season.
Deodat, while being a completely different player, shares a similar desire to Glasgow. Also 18, Deodat, is a composed top-order batsman who is able to construct an innings while with the ball, he is a crafty left-arm spinner with a gift for taking wickets.
The former No.8 Secondary School student has represented Guyana at the under-15 and under-17 levels where he finished as the leading wicket-taker for the country but was surprisingly not selected in last year’s under-19 side despite being one of the best all-rounders on show.
Since last year’s overlooking, Deodat was drafted into the West Berbice Franchise where he picked up seven wickets and bowled with an economy rate of 2.5.
The soft-spoken young man centers his life around cricket and is banking on good performances to stake a claim for selection in the Academy.
“Cricket means a lot to me it’s my life, it helps me to be a good person and I just want to go into the under-19 tournaments and give it my best shot to get in the Academy,” Deodat stated.
The teen, who comes from a single-parent household after his father passed away 13 years ago, shared a desire to one day don the West Indies uniform and make his country proud.Deodat admitted that fitness has been a spoke in his proverbial wheel but has been working diligently with Baksh and using this time to improve on that area of his game.
Baksh spoke highly of the two and reflected on their earlier upbringing to where they are today.
“Nigel stated a bit late, at 13 years he came to the club after someone saw him playing softball and encouraged him to join the club, he started as a number 11 batsman and now opens for the first-division side and Seon started at 10 as a wicketkeeper but we saw his talent with the ball and worked on that,” Baksh said.
The veteran administrator labelled the pair as “talented and willing boys,” contending that “they both have grown to be good all-round players and manage that well, they catch and field well and work a lot on their fitness.”
Baksh posited that both young men have the ability to enhance their career, stated that they are always willing to learn and assist by helping the younger players
