Guyanese Blyden dominates Massachusetts Cricket League

Sep 13, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...etts-cricket-league/

Still harbors hopes of playing for Guyana

After playing five seasons in Canada Guyanese leg-spinning all-rounder, 28 year-old Travis Blyden was the leading run scorer in his second season for the USA based Melbourne Cricket Club which is playing in the 40-overs Massachusetts State Cricket League.
After being offered a contract as Player/Coach in January at the University of the West Indies (UWI) for the Trinidad &Tobago Championship League, Blyden represented UWI in the UWI Unicom T20 tournament which resulted in the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) right-hander arriving late in US.
He however still managed to complete 12 games and ended with the most runs (591), averaging – 65.67 – including a top-score of 103 not out; the highest average. Blyden finished 7th among the wicket-takers with 19 scalps (average of 12.32) and a best of 4-19 from 8 overs.
Melbourne Cricket Club made it to the semi-finals last Sunday but lost that match.
Blyden is an experienced player having represented several clubs in Trinidad & Tobago including Rahamut’s Evergreen for five consecutive years before playing this year for UWI as the Coach and Captain in addition to plying his trade in Canada and New York.
”This season was all about helping my team reach to the playoffs and attempting to win the entire League. It was also a chance for me to excel more with the bat and to be consistent with the runs scoring. I made this commitment to myself as I fell short of my personal target by 200 runs in my Trinidad season” informed Blyden.
”My biggest challenge was my first three games getting adjusted to the conditions again as the weather and grounds took a little getting used to. I had only scored 17, 22 and 24 in the first set of matches but once I adjusted, I was able to produce better scores.
Blyden said he was most pleased with the way his team came back with some good wins. “When I first got here they were lower on the table and we worked hard to get up to fourth place. And with that we earned a playoff spot, also reaching to the semi finals,” Blyden disclosed.
In addition to Massachusetts, Blyden also represented Pioneer Cricket Club in the Metropolitan League in NYC in four games and scored 164 runs with a highest score of 85. He also and took four wickets.
”My plan for the rest of this year is to go back to Guyana and play as much cricket as I can play and do well .Also I am making it a goal to bring home a winning trophy for the overseas team that I play with next year. I want to help them to win and to show them hard work and skill will always prevail. This is the mantra that I stick to and it has not proved me wrong yet in all my years of cricket,” Blyden stated.
Blyden who played for Malteenoes and Transport Sports Clubs in the GCA first division tournament before joining GDF said he has not given up the hope of playing for Guyana.
“I know performances is the key so when I’m finish here I will be looking to play all the remaining cricket at home, hoping to perform well” Blyden concluded.
(Sean Devers)