Paradise Gaming has come to the wicket for promising cricketer Delray Rawlins.

The local company yesterday presented the Bermuda and Bailey’s Bay all-rounder with a $2,000 grant to help him fulfil his ambition of playing professionally in England.

“We all know Delray is an extremely talented player but beyond that what we feel will be a source of long-term success for him is that he exhibits determination and self-discipline,” Marc Bean, the co-owner of Paradise Gaming and Progressive Labour Party leader, said.

“We have provided some support for Delray to attain his goal of making it to English first-class cricket and that in turn will be an inspiration for all the other young men who have similar talent but may not realise the steps required to make it to the top.

“We feel Delray has all of the ingredients to be a shining example for other young men.”

Accepting the grant on behalf of the Bermuda player was his mother, Denise Rawlins, and grandmother, Albertha Outterbridge.

Rawlins captained Bermuda Under-19s in World Cup qualifiers this year before passing up the chance to play in Cup Match for St George’s because of commitments with the Sussex Academy.

Rawlins and Kamau Leverock, another promising youngster pursuing a dream of playing professionally in England, will take part in the second phase of the ICC Americas Cricket Combine in Indianapolis this week.

The pair will join 29 players from across the region in competing for a place in the ICC side that will play in the West Indies Cricket Board’s Nagico Super 50 tournament in January.