Ashmead Nedd, the 19-year-old left-arm spinner, made the Guyana Amazon Warriors playing XI in their CPL 2020 clash against Jamaica Tallawahs for his debut in the tournament.

Nedd may still just be a teenager, but his performances so far in his burgeoning career show he has a long way to go yet. Here’s a profile on him and his journey so far in cricket.

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Who is Ashmead Nedd: The beginning

Need is a product of the Demerara Cricket Club in Georgetown, Guyana. According to a statement released by the club in June, when Need earned his first first-class call-up, Nedd came through their junior ranks, incidentally after excelling in a system set up his father Gavin Nedd, the former Guyana first-class off-spinner.

“He came though the junior ranks, ironically via a program designed and implemented by his father and coach, Gavin Nedd,” the statement read. “He went on to play, captained and acquitted himself well for Guyana at the all the age group levels, and so his transition to the first-class level comes as no surprise to us.”

The breakthrough

Nedd is possibly one of the few people who won’t complain too much about 2020. It’s been a big year for him, starting with an impressive Under-19 World Cup 2020 in South Africa, and comprising a first first-class contract as well as maiden CPL appearance.

West Indies didn’t have the greatest U19 World Cup – they finished fifth after losing their quarter-final against New Zealand by two wickets in a last-over thriller. Nedd did his bit in that match, returning 3-33 to heap the pressure on New Zealand and keep West Indies in it, and he was in tears after the junior Black Caps secured the win.

In all, he took 11 wickets in the tournament – the most for West Indies – and was one of the brightest prospects for the team, alongside Kimani Melius and Jayden Seales. The year only got better – for him at least – as he was picked up by Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL 2020 draft, and was snapped up by Leeward Island for the 2020-21 season.

Who is Ashmead Nedd: The bowler

In his own words, Nedd is a pressure bowler. His slow left-arm spin was employed in the middle overs during West Indies’ U19 World Cup campaign, and he did a fine job of restricting the runs and plundering wickets. “I don’t chase wickets, I don’t study wickets. I know it will come at some point,” he told the ICC during the World Cup. “I do want wickets, but I’ll do what the team wants from me.”

Before the World Cup, in an Under-19 tri-series at home against England and Sri Lanka, Nedd took an eye-catching 5-27 against England in North Sound. At the World Cup, he picked up another five-for against England, returning 5-45 in a big win.

“Playing against England in the tri-series, they didn’t score much off of me. So coming into the World Cup, I was confident. I knew they would want to score off me (at the World Cup) because I was a bowler that put them under pressure. I was just looking to build pressure, and the wickets came.”

The quote

“That’s one of the games that broke my heart. I’ll keep it with me, and I’ll learn from it. I don’t like winning a game in my heart, and then just giving it away. I’m an emotional person, so I got saddened” – Nedd, speaking to the ICC, on the two-wicket loss to New Zealand in the U19 World Cup quarter-final, with two balls remaining.

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