By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH he missed out on an opportunity to get drafted in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) TwentyTwenty (T20), Marc Taylor has secured himself a sponsorship that could enhance his goal to become the first Bahamian CPL professional cricket player.

Just after the completion of the virtual draft last month, Taylor was acquired by Trident Products to help boost his image and provide him with the opportunity to display his skills so that he can get the exposure needed to get to the professional ranks.

“I wasn’t really in any tournaments that could have gotten me the exposure for the draft. They were basically going off what they read on paper and to change that, we decided to get some tournaments in Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and some global tournaments where we will have some scouts watching,” said Taylor, a member of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

“The main issue was that I wasn’t seen through social media, so they couldn’t take me in the draft. By getting this sponsor, I can get to more tournaments and be seen rather than just trying to go by my stats on paper.”

When he was denied the opportunity to get drafted, Taylor admitted that he was disappointed, but he looked at the bigger picture where there were more teams interested in him as he looks forward to the future.

“This was the first time that I actually did it, so this was a learning process for me,” Taylor said. “The main thing is to get the exposure so that they can see me.

“My stats was good enough to get me into the draft, but seeing is believing and they didn’t get to see me. They selected a guy over me who didn’t have near the kind of stats that I had, but they saw him play and so they were more willing to take a chance with him.”

Taylor, considered the country’s top cricket player, is being coached by Marlon Brown from Barbados, who also serves as his agent. “Trident is sponsoring me, my equipment, my clothing and my travel to participate in tournaments,” he said. “I have to wear their brand of sports apparel whenever I travel. I’m the brand for them in the Bahamas.”

This initial deal is for two years, but Taylor said they are willing to extend it in the future once he lives up to his end of the bargain.

And being the first Bahamian player venturing into the pro ranks, Taylor said he has nothing to lose, but everything to gain.

“People are actually looking up to me. In the whole process, I was able to put my name out there and really become more internationally known,” he said.

“I like it. It’s something that I can live with, even though I didn’t get drafted.”

In a sport locally that is being dominated by the expatriates living in the Bahamas, Taylor said he’s hoping that his recognition will inspire other local players to come out and participate in cricket.

“I think this will allow a lot of the younger players to actually see that you can make it in the sport,” he said. “We have a lot of young people playing, but I guess they are not taking it seriously like they do in the dominant sports like basketball and baseball. I’m just glad that I show them what they can accomplish if they take the sport seriously.”

Taylor, 30, started playing at the age of seven when he went out to Haynes Oval with his grandfather and father, Greg Taylor.

“I started playing pretty early, which helped me in my development of the game,” said Taylor, who played for the Dynasty Club in the Bahamas Cricket Association before he moved on to the Police team for the past 10 years.

Taylor, whose younger brother Greg Taylor Jr is following in his footsteps, said his goal is make that breakthrough as a professional cricket player.

Ivan Johnson, the publisher of The Punch, was the first Bahamian to play professionally as an all rounder, English first-class cricketer, playing for Worcestershire County Cricket Club from 1972 to 1975.