Ashmead Nedd inspired to play cricket by watching his dad bowl

By Sean Devers
www.kaieteurnewsonline.com
National youth left-arm spinner 14-year-old Ashmead Nedd
Garvin Nedd stands proudly with his son Ashmead at the club where he learnt to play cricket.



will leave Guyana today for Trinidad where he will join the rest of the Tony Hartford U-17 Academy team of Trinidad & Tobago for their tour of New Zealand from January 1-26.
The talented Nedd, who will turn 15 on January 10 whilst in New Zealand, was selected by Scouts from the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board and the Academy due to his showing in the Regional U-17 tournament in Tobago this year and the youngster plans to make the most of this opportunity by performing with both bat and bat.
He is looking forward to bowling in an International setting to give him the experience of playing in foreign conditions.
Ashmead was born to Garvin and Roxanne Nedd and grew up in Alberttown. Nedd would be at the famous DCC in Queenstown as a toddler and literally grew up at a venue which Lance Gibbs, Clive Lloyd and Roy Fredericks, three of the greatest West Indies Test players called ‘home’.
It was at DCC that he first developed an interest in cricket from seeing his father, a national youth and First-Class off-spinner, bowling. It was also his father, the national U-17 Coach that changed young Nedd from a left-arm seamer to a spinner.
“Dad told me if I bowled spin I would get more opportunities to make teams since in Guyana not many fast bowlers were picked because of the slow pitches here that favor spinners,” Ashmead remembered.
The teenager attended the St Gabriel’s Primary and later Tutorial High and Chase Academy. He loves playing football and is quite good at it as was shown when he represented Tutorial in the Digicel School’s Football competition. Nedd was also outstanding with both bat and ball in the National Secondary School’s Cricket League as he helped Chase Academy to North Georgetown Zone title.
Ashmead, whose favorite dish is Roti and Curry, played his debut first division match for DCC against Police when he was only 13 and since then his cricket has progressed at a rapid rate.
“Many people helped and advised me with my cricket but my dad is at the top of the list because not only he is my father but he played for Guyana and is a qualified Coach, so even if I don’t want to listen to him as dad I have to do what he says as DCC Coach,” Ashmead said with a smug look on his face.
Although he was selected for Guyana at the U-15, 17 and 19 levels as a spinner he has the ability to develop into a competent all-rounder and disclosed that Chris Barnwell, Trevon Griffith and Paul Wintz, all senior cricketers at DCC, have advised him with regards to his cricket.
“DCC President Alfred Mentore (a former National youth opener) has paid a keen interest in our (youths) development at DCC. He also arranged for the club to buy my ticket to get to Trinidad and paid for my Visa application,” Ashmead informed.
The slimily built Ashmead, who is taller that his dad, one of the best Guyanese off-spinners in the last 25 years, explained that once he gets to Trinidad that the Academy will stand all of his expenses for the tour to New Zealand.
Young Nedd favors the slog-sweep and says his most enjoyable way of getting a wicket is clean bowled. He also disclosed that his favorite cricketer is Joe Root because of the way he plays his cricket.
Ashmead said his most memorable day in Cricket was when Guyana won the Regional U-15 title in Jamaica last year, while he says his worst day in cricket was when, as DCC Captain his team was beaten in the GCA’s Brain Street U-15 final by Transport Sports Club.
“As a parent and a Coach I am very proud of Ashmead success. I never told him to play cricket he just picked up a bat when he was very young and got hooked on the game and once I noticed his interest in wanting to play it seriously, I stepped in as both a father and a Coach,” Garvin Nedd said.
Garvin, who seemed a bit frustrated by what is happening to Guyana and West Indies cricket administratively, said he was not only proud of his son but of so many players that have come out of the DCC’s ‘Garvin Nedd Nursery’ programme.
Nedd singled out players like West Indies under-19 selectee Tevin Imlach and Kemo Paul adding that it would not surprise him if DCC’s Sherfane Rutherford, who just missed out on West Indies U-19 selection, is picked in the Jaguars squad for next month’s NAGICO Super50.
At 14, Ashmead has already played for Guyana at the U-19 level and with four more years remaining at this level and his level-headed approach to life and cricket he could be one from the new generation of players that will help West Indies climb back to the glory days of the 1980s.