Gajanand Singh’s new lease on cricket career One of 5 Guyanese selected in US 44-man squad
By Sean Devers
Gajanand Singh
Gajanand Singh sweeps during his innings against TKR in 2017 (photo Sean Devers)
Kaieteur News – Former West Indies Under-19 batsman and Guyana First Class batsman Gajanand Singh are among five Guyanese (all Berbians) selected in a 44-man squad in the USA for preparations in Texas for the Osman Tri ODI series -Nation.
The Osman Series is the route to the ICC 2023 World Cup qualifying matches scheduled for Zimbabwe between June 18 and July 9, 2023.
Of the five, only Narsingh Deonarine Albion has played Test and ODIs for West Indies, while the 33-year-old Singh, of Young Warriors, has made two fifties in 10 First Classes and played two 50s matches -it turned to Guyana.
Akshay Homraj represented Albion Guyana in the 2013 and 2014 Under-19s and has played eight ODIs for the USA, while Rose Hall Town has Dominic Ricki, who played under-19 cricket for Guyana in 2010 and 2011 and Tucber’s left arm spinner Park, Trinson. Carmichael has all represented Guyana at the youth level.
Gajanand was born on October 3, 1987 to Sahadeo Singh and Mayadevi Singh at his home in Cumberland Village East Canje where he grew up and has two siblings; Ravina and Ishwar, who were Young Warriors’Keeper at first division level.
The cricketer attended Cumberland Nurseries and Primary Schools before graduating to Multilateral New Amsterdam and then Berbice High School.
“Growing up was fun. I lived across the Road from the grounds of the Young Warriors Cricket Club so I was always a young outdoors person. I played virtually all sports at School, Cricket, Football, Basketball, Volleyball and Table Tennis amongst others.
I was about 8-9 when the Young Warriors were formed and my father was the Manager. Whenever they had games, I would go with him and that’s how my interest in cricket started, “said the left-hander.
Gajanand, who made his first-class appearance as a 20-year-old player, said he always wanted to be a cricketer.
“I first played league cricket in Trinidad in 2007 for Wanderers Cricket after playing in the CPL the same year. Their system is more organized and the standard of club cricket is much higher than in Guyana, ”revealed Gajanand who played three seasons in Trinidad.
Not being selected for Guyana’s 50-over team after a fairly successful CPL made the choice easier for him to leave Guyana for the USA.
“Some Guyanese friends in New York invited me to play a tournament in Queens.
Around December 2017 after having a good CPL I was asked to stay in Guyana to play in Super50 2018 and was surprised to be left out, ”explained Guyana batsman Amazon Warriors.
Gajanand claimed that the standard of cricket in the USA is improving at a steady pace.
Strike striker revealed that his most memorable match was an under-19 match in 2006 against Barbados in Bourda.
“In that game Kemar Roach bowled very quickly in that game … in fact he (Roach) is the fastest bowler I’ve ever faced,” recalled Gajanand who played in the 2006 Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
“US cricket administrators are working very hard to professionalize the game across the United States.
I’ve been playing here since 2013 and played for several clubs over the years in different leagues, ”said Gajanand
Gajanand explained that he made the necessary adjustments during this pandemic to make his wife and daughter safe where they live in the Bronx, New York.
“Adapting to this culture was not very difficult because New York has a large Caribbean and Guyanese population so it was easy to adapt,” concluded Gajanand.
USA will compete in Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. Oman will host USA and Nepal in the sixth League 2 series from March 19 with six ODIs played.
Oman, with 16 points sits at the top of the table, while the USA team is second with 12 points as they are the road to India where the 2023 World Cup will be held.