January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Tour gives youngsters chance to prove their worth
Tour gives youngsters chance to prove their worth
Left-arm pace bowler DeSilva, 18, and 15-year-old all-rounder Gilbert, the BCB Young Cricketer of the Year, are among a talented crop of youngsters heading to Argentina today.
But the real destination all of them have in mind is South Africa and the ICC World Cup qualifier.
National coach Gus Logie says he wants to use the A tour of Argentina - which will involve a core of senior players as well as the best talent from the Under-19s - to see which of Bermuda's rising stars are ready to step up to senior level.
Seamer DeSilva, who also made his Cup Match debut this year, said all of the youngsters were aware they had a chance to put themselves in contention.
"That's definitely one of my targets - to prove to my coaches, my fellow players and the people here in Bermuda that I can play at senior level so people have an eye on me when it comes to selection for the qualifiers."
DeSilva - a pacy away swing bowler who cites England's Ryan Sidebottom and Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vass as two of his favourite players - is aware that Bermuda are short on fast-bowling options.
"I wouldn't say I've been picked because of that, but it's a chance I've been lucky to get and hopefully I can establish myself as someone who can play at the higher level.
"I can open the bowling or come on first change and maybe score some runs down the order as well."
De Silva has been around the national set up for some time. He played in the Under-19 World Cup, toured Barbados with the U19s in the summer and it seemed only a matter of time before he got his call-up to the senior squad.
Gilbert's rise has been much more meteroric.
The Berkeley student was still playing for the Under-15s at the start of the summer.
He made a big impression as part of an Americas Under-15 select, competing well against the likes of Pakistan in a mini World Cup in the West Indies.
That tour saw him promoted to the Under-19s where he started every game in the Sir Garfield Sobers tournaments, with a top score of 42.
Now the middle order batsman and off-spin bowler is playing alongside guys he was watching from the bleachers as a fan only 12 months ago.
From reserve to starter
"It's really exciting. I was real surprised. I wasn't sure they would allow someone of my age to go on a senior tour.
"This year was my first full season with Somerset senior team. Before that I was mostly a reserve."
Gilbert's dad Gregory said his son's efforts on the practice field had paid off.
"We spend a lot of time, weekends and nights doing throw-downs. We're real proud of him."
The level-headed teenager added that he still had a lot to prove.
"I'm not setting any big targets. I just want to try and improve as a cricketer."
He said it was strange feeling, playing with cricketers who he looked up to like Chris 'Dundee' Douglas, Delyone Borden and skipper Irving Romaine.
But he said the hardest bowling to face in the nets was DeSilva's pacy left-armers.
"There's not too many left-armers in world cricket so it's something different that I have.
"I wouldn't say it's an advantage just another option."
The Argentina trip is being used as a development tour with each of the young players assigned a senior 'mentor'.
But DeSilva believes the team should still be good enough to beat the Argentinians.
"It's an A-team so we should be weaker than the senior team but I still think we can put in some good performances and win some matches."[[In-content Ad]]
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