Derval Green leading his team outside of the Norman Manley International Airport in 2007. - File

JERMAINE LANNAMAN, STAR Writer

Former Jamaica Under-19 captain Derval Green has expressed delight at finally making the transition to the national senior squad. The 26-year-old, who led Jamaica to the regional Under-19 one-day title in 2007 and third in the three-day equivalent, recently got the nod after being named in Jamaica's Super50 squad for the upcoming WICB/NAGICO Super50.

The tournament, to be staged in Trinidad and Tobago, will get going on January 15. "It has been long in coming, and, now that I am selected, I hope to grab the opportunity with both hands," said Green, one of two bowling all-rounders in the team's 14-man squad.

The other is the experienced David Bernard, Jr. "I have putting in a lot of work over the past few years, and in recent local competitions, I have been doing well with both the ball and the bat.

"I also thought I did pretty well in the trial matches, and the game I played against the touring New Zealand in a warm-up match.

"It is these performances, as well as my efforts in training, that I think the selectors saw," he added. Green, who bowls pace, claimed two for 26, and five for 41 against the New Zealanders, while scoring nought and one.

Earmarked as a promising all-rounder while attending St Elizabeth Technical High School, and leading Jamaica Under-19s, Green fell away shortly thereafter as result of what he describes as “bad” personal decisions.

That stemmed from the decision he made after playing for Jamaica, to play for his boyhood team, Westmoreland Cricket Association, in national competitions.

Looking back, Green pointed out that while the parish team is not a bad one, the institution lacked proper and adequate infrastructure to aid development.

"I made the decision to stay in Westmoreland and play cricket; however, unfortunately, it turned out not to be the right one," said Green. "Westmoreland is a good cricketing parish but, at the club level, there is little or no structure to properly bloom talent on a daily basis.

This, he explained, subsequently forced him to consider other options, which landed him at the St Catherine-based GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport.

"I made the move to GC Foster, where I am in a better cricket environment, in terms of training facilities, such as a gym, and personnel, such a physiotherapist. This, I believe, has helped me to improve on my game, and if selected to play in any of the matches, I am looking forward to making an impression."

Jamaica players Nkrumah Bonner, Horace Miller and Jason Dawes, as well as West Indies players Darren Bravo, Kieron Powell and Adrian Barath all participated in the 2007 regional Under-19 tournament.

Jamaica, who are hoping to break a three-year title drought, will face Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and West Indies Under-19s in the preliminary round of the Super50.