Guyanese Aaron Beharry in OCA squad for Sri Lanka tour
Off-spinning all-rounder Aaron Beharry
Off-spinning all-rounder Aaron Beharry

WHEN the Ontario Cricket Academy (OCA) embarks on its 14th international cricket tour to Sri Lanka from March 11 to 21, Guyana’s Aaron Beharry will be a notable inclusion in the squad which will also have another Guyanese Tribhawan ‘Jaggy’ Jagessar as one of the manager/coaches.

Beharry, who has followed closely in the footsteps of his father, Anil Beharry, a former Berbice Inter-county player and prominent cricket administrator, has been added to the squad via recommendation from Jagessar
The off-spinning all-rounder, who represents Young Warriors Cricket Club and Everest, was in the reckoning for the Guyana’s Under-19 squad just before COVID-19 pandemic closures in the West Indies, and according to Jagessar, “Aaron has exceptional ability with bat and ball and will definitely help to provide depth for the squad”.

An elated Aaron told Chronicle Sport that he “believed this trip will give me better sense of how other cricket cultures are, how to adjust to different wickets and environment. It will definitely be a new experience for me. I hope to transfer all that is learnt into my game and career.”

In an invited comment, Aaron’s father, Anil, who also served as president of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), disclosed that tour “will surely give him an opportunity to mix with persons that he never met before.” He pointed out that “his ability to adapt will be tested as the conditions in Sri Lanka will be strange to him”.

According to the elder Beharry, “Aaron’s level of maturity will also be tested. It will surely help his game to improve and also move it to another level.”

The touring Under-19 team is expected to face stiff competition against District Development teams, academies and colleges. T20, 40- and 50-over matches are scheduled in Galle, Colombo and Negombo.

OCA, being no stranger to the country and conditions of the cricket-loving island, expects the tour to help give players exposure and experiences in different conditions.

OCA’s Director, Derek Perera, believes that “these tours help our young players to learn how to bat, bowl and field in very testing conditions than what we are used to here in Canada. The players will have to adapt quickly to the hot weather and different pitches, all of which make them stronger and more well equipped for the future”.

The touring team will include three OCA players currently in the Canadian Under-19 World Cup side – Siddh Lad (captain), Parmveer Kharoud (vice-captain) and Sahil Badin.

Taimoor Shahzad will be joining the squad directly from Australia where he is enrolled in the Joe Root Academy. Taimoor travelled from Alberta, Canada to join OCA for specialised training in October 2021 and soon after was keen to be part of the touring team. Eran Maliduwapathirana joins the team as well to add to the pace battery of the OCA touring side. Eran was listed as a reserve for the Canada Under-19 World Cup team.

According to a release from the OCA, “Apart from cricket, the players will gain a broader understanding of the country, its history and people. At OCA one of the key objectives of touring is for the players to become more socially responsible, understanding and knowledgeable people.”

Touring Team: Siddh Lad (captain), Parmveer Kharoud vice-captain), Sahil Badin, Eran Maliduwapathirana, Taimoor Shahzad, Aryan Desai, Dharm Patel, Kishan Missir. Aaron Beharry, Dilraj Deol. Two other players are to be selected at a later date. The manager/coaches are Tribhawan Jagessar and Derek Perera. (Frederick Halley)

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