Cricket sensation bowling fans over

Trevor Manoosingh wants to bat and bowl his way onto the Canadian senior cricket team.

And if the Vincent Massey Collegiate student continues to win accolades and kudos in the sport he loves, he’s on course to reach his target with the accuracy of one his leg-break or googly bowling deliveries.

Manoosingh, 15, will be one of the youngest players suiting up for Manitoba in Edmonton this week at the Western Canada under-25 cricket tournament against Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

This follows the Grade 10 student’s selection to the Americas team at the CLICO under-15 international tournament in the West Indies last year.

Manoosingh was one of only four Canadians to make the Americas XI for the tournament, which largely consisted of players from Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

He also represented Canada’s under-15 team in 2006, when he was just 12.

“I was a little nervous,” said Manoosingh, who hopes to one day attend the University of West Indies in Barbados.

“I was playing well and taking some big wickets, but when I heard them say I was a good batsman, I was just jumping off the walls. I was over the moon.”

Manoosingh — a softly-spoken young man who can bowl you over with his modesty — has played cricket ever since he can remember.

“When I was two, my dad put a bat in my hand. And he’s never stopped to this day. He still trains with me all the time at Assiniboine Park.”

As it happens, his father is Rawle Manoosingh, who played cricket for the Canadian national team for a decade.

Both players agree there is no rivalry in their Whyte Ridge household; only mutual respect, teamwork and shared ambitions.

In fact, Manoosingh cites his father as one his heroes, along with the late Damian Mills, another Manitoban player, and provincial team coach Ron Dipchand.

“Ron’s been my coach on every provincial team,” he says. “I love his approach, because he watches my footing when I’m practicing and makes me take proactive steps to improve.”

Manoosingh points out that he was always a better bowler than batsman, although he has grown to enjoy the latter discipline over time.

“I’m now a more experienced and confident batsmen, but it’s different because you set the pace and tone for the team. With one lazy shot your team can feel the pressure and collapse.”

Living in a city with a sports scene dominated by baseball, football and hockey, Manoosingh says he wants to help raise the profile of cricket.

“Having somebody of my age playing for Canada might show there’s hope for youth,” he said. “Since I was 12, I’ve seen a lot of good players coming through the ranks.”

Rawle Manoosingh believes his son has been an inspiration to his community and the people that support him.

“He definitely revitalizes people’s passion to play the game. The community support always gives him the extra incentive to continue to grow. He owes them a lot.”

Manoosingh’s out-of-this-world play is in keeping with his other passion — astronomy.

“We’re restricted by what we know in our universe and I want to know more,” he said.

When it comes to achieving all his cricket ambitions, it seems the sky’s the limit.