BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CRICKET, like basketball, football and golf, among many other sports disciplines, has become a very lucrative profession and many a young men in the Caribbean dream of the day when they could don the official uniform of the West Indies team.
One such individual is 21-year-old Tashmail Mills of Cabbage Tree Housing in Cayon, who believes that dreams are the seedlings of realities and would normally quote Walt Disney’s words, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Born to Patricia Henry and Carl Mills, Tashmail Mills started playing the game at age 15 and was motivated by his grandfather (Walter Griffin), who would have bowled to him whenever the opportunity presented itself.
He stated that his interest in the game was rapidly growing, so he decided to pay regular visits to the Cayon Cricket Club, where he met Enric Daniel, Steve Saunders and Noval McCall, whose influence made him a member of that club.
Mills had special praise for the trio from whom he said he had learned the rudiments of the game.
He also claimed been to have been greatly impressed by the masterful strokes-play of Sir Vivian Richards, the world renowned ‘Master Blaster’ of Antigua and Barbuda.
Mills can be described as a tall, lanky ambidextrous all-rounder; he bats left-handed and with his right hand bowls both medium fast and off-breaks.
The opening batsman has represented a number of teams in St. Kitts and Nevis and started showing his mettle in cricket right from the school level.
Mills’ ability afforded him the opportunity to first represent his homeland at the Under-17 level, which was shortly after followed by his selection in the National Under-19 squad and also that of the Leeward Islands within the same age range.
After proving himself an asset with both bat and ball, Mills is now a regular member of the National Senior team and had played in the recently concluded NAGICO 50-Overs Tournament in St. Maarten, where he signalled his intention of breaking into the Leeward Islands First Class team this season with the aim of pushing his performance to a higher level.
Earlier in this year, Mills had a breakthrough in his cricketing career.
He was recruited by the Bilton-In-Ainsty Cricket Club in Yorkshire, where he played an integral role in the club cementing a place in the top division of the Wetherby League, which saw him making 574 runs in 16 innings with a 41.0 average in that season.
Mills’ highlight for that season included two back-to-back centuries and a similar amount of 50s.
And despite the season was interrupted by bad weather on numerous occasions, Mills also showed off his skills with the ball by taking 18 wickets at an average of 19.17.
He is now looking to further progress his cricket in Yorkshire, where he has family ties, by knocking on the door of any club that is interested in recruiting an opening batsman.
Speaking with this publication, Mills said that his overall goal in cricket is to play the game professionally, regardless of the location.
He added that he feels he is not very far from attaining this goal, as it is only a matter of time for him to start making headway, claiming that he is one great season from where he wants to be.
To ensure he achieves his goals, Mills is under a strict regime. He trains mentally and physically at least four times a day and noted that he would like to be on the professional stage before the age of 23.
Mills however claimed that his biggest challenge is the lack of regular cricket being played in St. Kitts, which he said could really hamper any young cricketer who is seeking to establish himself in First Class cricket, noting that there is not much in place to assist players in realising their dreams.
Expressing his views on the overall state of cricket in St. Kitts, Mills stated that there is need for a decent establishment to be put in place, because the sport could not become successful without proper organisation.
Mills was also nominated to be admitted to the West Indies High Performance Center but fell short of gaining entry for some unknown reason. But this did not daunt his spirit as he claims to now be more focused than ever.
Tashmail Mills is known by his family members, peers and members of the Cayon community as a humble, easy-going and hardworking individual who lives to only see positive accomplishments occur in his life.
