VERE Technical’s Fabian Allen is all set to go in training with the Jamaica Tallawahs team ahead of their defence of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 title set to bowl off on July 11.

Allen, who represented Jamaica and the West Indies at the Under-19 level, is over the moon about the opportunity handed to him.

“Well, I am feeling really elated to be a part of the Tallawahs squad. The performance is the key to success, and the world saw my talent, so it is a great opportunity for me, and I am just going to make use of it and build on it,” Allen told the Jamaica Observer in a telephone interview.

The 19-year-old, who was a member of Jamaica’s Select XI team that played against the touring New Zealanders, is hopeful that his exploits will propel him into the national senior team.

“Well, the plan is to put out 100 per cent in the training session and show them what I am capable of. It is always good to be amongst international players… players who can share their expertise, and the experience will surely lead me straight to Jamaica senior trials and I will work my way up from there,” he explained.

The right-hand batsman, who is also a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, was the most outstanding all-rounder in the Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA)/Digicel All-island Twenty20 championship scoring over 300 runs, inclusive of two centuries and taking over 15 wickets.

Digicel’s senior sponsorship manager, Tahnida Nunes, said that Allen’s draft came as no surprise to her based on the quality that he showed during the ISSA/Digicel All Island T20 Championship.

“We are very excited for him and the prospects that lie ahead as a result of this news, this is also a testament to the strength of our youth T20 championships.

“We had very clear goals for this championship, using the T20 youth championship as a springboard for young players to get in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL)… developing cricket at the youth level and giving these aspiring young cricketers an opportunity to shine and be discovered,” she said.

Nunes added that the news is also very rewarding to Digicel as a brand, and is just the kind of return that any corporate company would hope to get from partnerships like these.

In closing, Nunes said: “We wish Fabian all the best and we are looking forward to the same great display of talent in a few weeks.”