Gajanand Singh, a former West Indies Under-19 player, relished leading the Empire State Titans during the recent USA Minor League Cricket (MiLC) exhibition matches. Despite not finishing atop of the charts, he compiled 147 runs at a strike rate of 145.54. USAcricketers.com asked him a few questions regarding MiLC, and below are his responses.
Describe some of your experiences in the recently completed Minor League Cricket exhibition matches.
Some of my best experiences from the Minor League were playing against the best players in the region at a high level and the opportunity to lead the New York franchise Empire State Titans, one of the most diversified teams in the league.
What was your most memorable moment during the recent exhibition matches?
Being allowed to lead the Empire State Titans is my most memorable moment.
How was your overall performance in the matches? Would you do anything differently if given a chance to replay any one of the 2020 exhibition matches?
I would say my overall performance was below where I wanted it to be. I had quite a few good starts and didn’t go on to get the big scores I wanted. Perhaps I would have played a few situations differently.
How different was the experience playing for a franchise team from your usual club or team?
It was very different; our owner and management were very professional. We had a USA coach in Kevin Darlington and USA national cricket manager, Kerk Higgins. Also, former USA national player Steve Massiah had a huge input with the team. You don’t get these experienced guys around the club circuit much.
How did you prepare for the matches during the current COVID-19 pandemic?
I did a lot of physical work by myself, obviously, and spent a lot of time talking to Steve, who helped with my mental preparation.
What improvements, if any, would you like to see implemented during the upcoming 2021 Minor League Cricket season?
Hopefully, we can have a few good turf wickets to play on and prepare appropriately for the national level.
Is there any particular area that team owners of Minor League Cricket need to improve that would benefit the league?
The league would surely benefit when players know there are spots available on a Minor League team. The Minor League will become more competitive and attract more interest.
Should more Under-21 players be added to the roster of each franchise?
Yes, purely for experience and exposure to a higher level of cricket.
What would attract more fans to any matches of the franchise to which you belong?
The more a team wins, the more fans will follow. Winning attract fans.
What is one positive non-cricket experience you took away from your participation in the exhibition matches?
One positive experience is the relationships established during the exhibition matches played, would not be easily forgotten.