By Delvon McEwan
In 2014 Joshua Persaud and Bhaskar Yadram, then two talented 14 year olds started a journey together, one which was skippered by the latter. That expedition was a success under coach Julian Moore, who led Guyana to their third Regional under-15 title and first in over a decade.
Ever since the pair of Persaud and Yadram have featured in most if not all of the youth teams that left Guyana to participate in Regional tournaments and on Friday they will start yet another journey together.
This time a bigger reality, they will be part of a 20 member West Indies U-19 training squad, who will be encamped in Grenada for close to two weeks starting on Friday December 9 and lasting until December 22.
The feat is important to the two 16 year old Guyanese players – Persaud a wicket keeper batsman and Yadram a batting all-rounder – who have done themselves justice with their performance during Guyana’s successful campaign in the Regional U-19 tournament which was held in St. Vincent in July-August this year.
According to Persaud, who last year represented the West Indies at the Under-16 level, it is the greatest feeling for a youngster who is aspiring to make a career out of the sport. While his colleague Yadram, who is enjoying an outstanding 2016 in local and Regional cricket, will be fulfilling a chapter of his life he worked tirelessly towards.
In the Regional U-19 tournament neither Persaud nor Yadram reached their goal they set out prior to the tournament and they were shifted from their usual positions as openers to bat in the middle and lower order. Fortunately for them it somewhat worked in their favour because they are now in the mix at the pinnacle stage of their youth career.
In relation to the shift in batting position, Yadram clearly stated it worked for him because he was prepared for the change due to his knowledge on the game-where you have to always be ready to bat in various positions or circumstances based on the team’s composition- and due to that he was able to score runs in the middle.
Persaud on the other hand said he missed out on getting sufficient runs but since he returned home has done the necessary to improve his game, with both bat and gloves. He believes his stint with the West Indies U-16 team in the United Kingdom also contributed to his development and he will continue to execute what he has learnt to ensure he progresses in his game.
Meanwhile, Yadram’s objective is to make the final squad to participate in the Regional 50 over tournament which gets underway in January in Barbados and Antigua.
Yadram hails from the East Coast village of Enterprise where he also plays most of his cricket at the Community Development Centre Ground in the area or otherwise at the Everest Cricket Club in Georgetown and Rose Hall Town in Berbice.
Persaud lives in the city and represents Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC).
