For many young cricketers in Guyana a Cricket Guy Inc., Academy contract is seen as a stepping stone towards representing the country and an inch closer to earning a West Indies cap. This dream is the same for 24-year-old pacer, Demetri Cameron.
Known to many of his teammates at Port Mourant Cricket Club and opponents in the Berbice circuit as ‘Rabada’ due to the similarities between himself and South African pacer, Kagiso Rabada, the tall, slender seamer is eager to be drafted into the academy.
Cameron, who is stuck in Trinidad and Tobago due to the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic which shut down the local borders two months ago, picked up 12 wickets in two matches before the season ended prematurely.
In the 2019 CGI 50-over Franchise League, he bagged 13 wickets in five matches playing for Upper Corentyne.
Speaking to Stabroek Sport via WhatsApp, the flambouyant coloured -hair quickie said that he believes that enrolling in the academy would be a step in the right direction. While crediting the structure of the academy as one of the best in the region, Cameron posited, it was the exposure to that type of training that could see him reaching the International level.
“I know I am able and capable of playing cricket at higher levels like national or West Indies. With the proper training like that of the academy it will help me reach there because on a daily basis all the coaches are there to show you what is right from wrong, help you develop your game and to help you be a better player all-round player,” Cameron explained.
The right-arm seamer revealed that it has been his goal to break into the structure since his days of playing Under-19 County cricket for Berbice and he has not let up on that passion.
“Since youth cricket days I’ve set my sights on being part of the academy, unfortunately, I haven’t reached their yet but this year I’ve been working overtime,” he stated while adding, “at the start of the year I have been extremely self-motivated to work hard on my game. I’ve been doing a lot of strength work to help me get stronger and fitter, I train six days a week every week.”
Despite the pandemic shutting down local gyms in the twin-island republic, Cameron is following a programme from a fitness trainer.
Now, the seamer opined that he sees the opportunity to break into the setup, claiming “Guyana and the entire Caribbean has been lacking a lot of fast bowlers of late.”
He added that his eagerness to display his talent is incomparable but reckons that an opportunity to showcase it will be ideal.
“I just need the opportunity like a contract to be within the set up to showcase my skill,” Cameron pleaded whilst adding, “It will mean a lot to me knowing that all my early morning training and late nights working have prepared me to capitalize on the chance.”
