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Heyliger helps Canada advance to T20 WC qualifiers
By Sean Devers
Kaieteur News – Canada produced a dominant performance in the ICC Americas T20 qualifiers in Antigua with their only defeat coming at the hands of group winners the USA.
The US finished unbeaten after the clash with their North American neighbours ended in a tie with both teams making 142. The USA won in the super-over.
Canada, won five of their games to finish two points behind the USA after the two countries contested the first ever international cricket match in 1844 in the States.
Canada has competed at the ICC Cricket World Cup on four occasions, in 1979, 2003, in the West Indies in 2007 and 2011.
Former Guyana pacer, 32-year-old Dilon Heyliger, the only West Indian in the Canadian squad, finished with nine scalps from six matches with a best of 5-16 against Argentina from his four overs to leave Canada with the hopes of going ‘down under’ for the next T20 World Cup in 2022.
Guyanese Dillon Heyliger bowls for Canada.
Canada played their final game last Monday against Panama and Kaieteur Sport caught up with the pacer just after he arrived in Ontario.
“It’s a great pleasure to help bring my team to the qualifiers because it’s something we been working hard towards achieving and this tournament proves that hard work pays off. I’m proud of myself so far but I know that I still have a way to go,” disclosed Heyliger, who hails from Suddie on the Essequibo Coast.
The Guyanese, who made his T20I debut for Canada against the Cayman Islands at Sandys Parish on August 17, 2019 was very familiar with the conditions in Antigua.
“I have played domestic cricket there for a season for Bethesda Sport Club after being invited by former West Indies pacer Gavin Tonge who was a member there. I also played there in the 2013 Caribbean T20 tournament. So I have some experience playing in Antigua.
The first game conditions were great for both batting and bowling but as the tournament progressed it got tougher but that’s the game,” added Heyliger, who played for Guyana U-15s in 2005 and U-19s in 2008.
Heyliger said he was not too sure on where or when the World Cup qualifiers is scheduled for but added that where ever it is kept we wanna be ready and fit.
Heyliger, who has taken 28 wickets from 17 T20 Internationals at an Average of 14.02, informed that the next tournament for him is the US Open in Florida in December, adding that he was looking forward to that.
“I’m not sure what Canada Cricket Association has planned at the International level at this moment. It’s winter now, so there is no local cricket played at this moment just indoor playing and training.
“Our aim is to revive Cricket in Canada so that hopefully we can get more officials and sponsors involved to help cricket. I believe if we can qualify for next year’s World Cup in Australia it will make the sport more attractive to Canadians.
And now that Mayor Patrick Brown wants to build a stadium, so for sure our performance on the field could help us get infrastructure for Cricket,” continued Heyliger, who played T20 Cricket for Guyana in the 2013 Caribbean T20 tournament.
Brown was elected Mayor of Brampton in Ontario in October 2018 on a platform of getting Brampton back on track and receiving a fair deal from provincial and federal governments.
However, Cricket is not a National Sport in Canada where Golf, Ice Hockey, Swimming and Soccer are among the most popular Sports in the Country.
Heyliger informed that they formed their own club…Amazon KINGS… and play in all the tournaments held throughout Canada.
“Covid pandemic has affected cricket a lot because it has held up a lot of cricket for us, like the Global T20 and most of our local games,” Heyliger concluded.
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