By Frederick Halley
TORONTO, Canada — IT’s been a roller-coaster ride for 26-year-old Guyanese cricketer Dilon Heyliger since representing Guyana at both the Under-15 and Under- 19 levels.

The burly, talented Essequibian all-rounder, who has plied his trade in England, the Caribbean and now resides in Toronto, Canada, has his sights firmly set on representing Canada at the international level and has been working assiduously towards that realisation. He has however not ruled out playing for Guyana in the future.
In an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport, Heyliger, who also competes at softball in the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL), pointed out that he’s confident that in the not- too- distant future he will don Canadian colours.
“My aspiration is to represent Team Canada and ensure the Canadian cricket team gets a higher ranking at the international level; and also to ensure more supporters come out to watch the sport.”
According to Heyliger, his cricketing career started on the Essequibo Coast where he represented his village team Santos, and before long he was a member of the Essequibo Under-15 and Under-19 teams and subsequently represented Guyana at the Under-15 level in 2005. His progression continued three years later when he was selected to play for his country in 2008 and 2009 at the regional Under-19 tournaments.
In 2006, Heyliger was already a member of the Essequibo senior team and despite his sojourns in the Caribbean, United Kingdom and Canada, was part of the Cinderella County side which he last played for in 2013. In the interim, he also turned out for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at the First Division level in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) competitions.
Strong all-round performances at the First Division level subsequently earned him a place in the 2011 Guyana T20 squad and despite not being part of the playing 11, Heyliger said the experience was quite electrifying and satisfying. “I decided to build on the success of Guyana’s cricket and move on to gain some international experience.”
Heyliger explained that he went on to play cricket for teams in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, and moving farther afield to England, played for Basingstoke in the Hampshire League. “With new success and recognition in the United Kingdom, I gained a spot in the Middlesex League with a team in Uxbridge, increasing my knowledge, skills, and career development on the international level,” he boasted.
Heyliger’s cricketing stint in Canada started last year when he turned out for Islanders Sports Club in the Toronto & District Elite Division tournament.
He however switched to Vikings in the 2015 season when he enjoyed a very productive season , making 707 runs with a highest score of 89, while his best effort with the ball was 4 for 29.
Heyliger credits his current manager Bhowan Persaud and his immediate family for the support and is confident that his cricketing aspirations will be fulfilled in the not- too- distant future.