Two cricketers?from the Pine aren’t worried about Barbados’ poor relations with Trinidad and Tobago.
In fact, they are thanking the twin-island republic for their latest opportunity.
Damien Davis, 26, and Rachad Forde, 21, will be leaving the island shortly to commence six-month contracts in Trinidad and Tobago’s Premier League cricket competition.
Davis, a bowling all-rounder who captained the Pine’s cricket team to a second-place finish in last season’s Barbados Cricket League (BCL), will be playing for the PowerGen Cricket Club.
Forde, also an all-rounder, who represented Barbados Cricket Association team Malvern, will represent Caldrax.
The two are the first two recipients to receive contracts arising from the 11-year relationship between the Pine Cricket Academy, now renamed the Pine and Wildey Sports Academy, and several clubs from Trinidad and Tobago.
During a Press conference at the Pine’s Meadow Road Pavilion yesterday, which was also attended by academy coaches Gregory Small and Rodney Simpson and parliamentary representative for the area, Hamilton Lashley, it was revealed that after a successful season the duo caught the eye of several Trinidadian clubs.
Davis will be leaving today to join his new team which includes Sherwin Ganga and Samuel Badree, both of whom have represented Trinidad at the regional level.
“I am really looking forward to playing for PowerGen. It feels great that I have been selected, and I will just put my best foot forward,” he said when asked how he felt about being given the opportunity to play semi-profesional cricket.
Forde, who is is scheduled to leave in a week’s time, expressed delight in being granted the opportunity to play overseas.
“I’m excited about playing cricket in Trinidad and I will just go there and do my best,” said the versatile Forde, who is also a national athlete.