Cayman’s youth cricket programme is flourishing and the evidence of that is selection to an elite international tournament for two 15-year-olds.
Dale Parker and Shane Cato have the honour of representing Cayman in an Americas ICC Under-15 team selected for a tournament in Barbados and other countries across the region.
The first game is a knock out one against Kenya for the two John Gray High School pupils.
If the Americas team wins then they have to go to St Kitts for the next round. If they lose the Kenya game they go to Trinidad for training and then Guyana for three league matches.
If they finish in the top two in Guyana then it’s off to Grenada. If they finish in the bottom two, it’s Tobago. And finally, all the teams head for Trinidad for the closing ceremony.
All told the matches, sponsored by Clico International, will take 20 days.
Cayman’s technical director of cricket, Theo Cuffy, has been given the honour of team coach. The manager is Bermudan and his assistant is Canadian.
The 6ft 4in Parker has exceptional speed for a kid of his age. He said: ‘I’ve been bowling pace and continued gradually bowling well at high standards. I used to play football but right now I’m getting in the habit of playing cricket more.
‘I hope to be successful in every aspect of cricket. I’m thinking of becoming a professional cricketer because the standards I set for myself I think I’m doing well and if I continue I think I’ll be successful in the sport.
Cato said: ‘I’m mostly a batsman and I wicket-keep. I’ve been batting a lot. My top score has only been 21 but I feel I could get more if I just stay there and bat.
Cuffy said: ‘I’m very excited about these two youngsters and the opportunity presented by this tournament.
‘It’s a chance to go and play with and see players who are at a higher level and to play against people from various countries, including Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh.
‘The West Indies Under-15s are going to be there who are the future of West Indies cricket in the next eight to ten years. Those are the sort of boys they are going to be mingling with.
‘It’s a fantastic opportunity. Dale and Shane are very excited. When, initially they were told about it, they were not very enthused. But when they saw blazers, ties and everything else, the magnitude of it really came across.
‘It’s a great opportunity and learning experience. They’re going to have their jitters but they’ll be learning among boys their own age.
‘I think it’s a privilege to be named coach of the Americas team. There are boys from Bermuda, Canada, America, Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. The captain is a youngster from Canada who has been playing a lot of cricket since he was eight. We’ll be at a little disadvantage because we’re only going to meet each other for the first time on the day we get there.’
The boys’ parents need not worry, their school work will not suffer. Cuffy added: ‘There is no chance for the youngsters of missing school work because they have been given lessons to carry them over those three weeks.
‘We’re going to put aside some time every day for school work. It’s going to be a fantastic trip.’
‘They are the best two 15-year-olds on the island. Dale played in his first Division One game on Sunday – for Schools of course – and bowled six overs for 18 runs. I have high hopes for Dale if he continues in cricket. He has already played for Cayman Islands Under-19s as a 14-year-old.
‘Shane has been around us since he was eight or nine. He’s the third brother in the line (after Darren and Corey) and he will be a fixture in the Under-19s from this year.
‘He’s small and doesn’t have that much strength in hitting the ball around but he will grow into it. He has the basics of the game and, of course, he has coach Andy Myles who has been hard working with all these youngsters.
‘All of these youngsters should be appreciative of the hard work coach Andy has done and also coach Benjamin Maynard and all the other coaches from various districts.
‘They’ve all contributed in some way to the development of these youngsters. I’m fortunate that I have all these people involved.’
Cuffy is pleased that youth cricket is coming on fast in Cayman. ‘We’re going to have our Under-15 competition starting in a couple of weeks. We’ve just finished our Under-17s, so all in all our formula is gradually falling into place. I’m very excited about what the future holds.’
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