Bermuda’s new under-19 cricket captain Zeri Tomlinson has literally hit the ground running on his return home.

Tomlinson landed at LF Wade International Airport on Friday night after returning from Sedbergh School in England, and less than 48 hours later was scoring 65 in a 104-run partnership with Kamau Leverock as Warwick Workmen’s Club beat Somerset Bridge in the T20 First Division Plate.

The 18-year-old was thrilled to spend time at the crease at Lord’s with one of his heroes, whom he admits to watching bat from nearly 4,000 miles away when he moved to the school in Cumbria just before the pandemic.

“It’s really weird when I think of it,” Tomlinson said.

“The year I went to boarding school was during Covid and I clearly remember watching Kamau score a lot of runs, including a century down St David’s, so to be able to bat with him and put on a century partnership was really nice.

“Batting with him is a big deal to me. I’ve spent a lot of time working on my game, and I just used that for confidence and reassurance when I went out to bat. I was in a little early and he had a few jokes and really helped to relax me. At one point, I asked him what he thought a par score would be on this pitch against this team, but he told me not to worry about it and to just keep playing.”

While he plays alongside Leverock for Warwick, he will be competing against him during the Bermuda Smash Invitational, which starts on Sunday. Tomlinson will form part of the Smith’s Sixers squad at the tournament and is hoping to play some part as a wicketkeeper if he impresses captain Onias Bascome.

“I’ve played with Onias before and I’m hoping that I might be wicketkeeping,” Tomlinson said.

“That’s a big deal to me, as coaches in Bermuda mostly approach me and know me for my batting. If I get the chance to keep wicket, it will be a good opportunity for me — especially if I do well — to remind people of what I am and what I can do.

“Smith’s have got a good mix of cricketing abilities and a lot of good batters, so I may have to take a step back in that respect, but hopefully my wicketkeeping might keep me involved.”

When a young Bermudian shows immense promise, Cup Match is never far away from the conversation. Tomlinson has been in and around the St George’s squad in the past few years but prefers to focus on his game rather than “the big game”.

“I’ve been on the bench for St George’s for four years, but I’m just going to aim to keep scoring runs and see where it gets me,” he said.

“My gut feeling is that if I think of Cup Match being a goal this year, then it might make me change the way I play a bit.

“My only goals this season — and I’ve written this down on a piece of paper in my room — is to make ten half-centuries, three centuries and get a trophy. I know that If I’m scoring runs and doing well for my team, the rest will take care of itself.”

Cup Match this year comes just a couple of weeks before Bermuda travel to Atlanta, Georgia, for the 2026 ICC Under-19 World Cup Americas Qualifiers, and Tomlinson is looking forward to captaining the side after getting the backing of his peers.

“We had a vote between some of the senior players in the squad and I got it,” he said.

“Having captained at school, I like the responsibility and I’m pretty confident in myself to lead the team. The most important thing about this Bermuda team compared with my team at school is that we are a lot closer, as we’ve grown up playing cricket together.

“I’ve known Keegan Jones since I was young, and played with and against Luke Fulton and Luke Horan for years. Off the field, we’re more like brothers and we understand each other, so it means more than just cricket.

“USA and Canada will be our strongest opponents, and it certainly will not be easy as cricket in those countries in the last few years has come a long way. But we know we can compete. I just wish we could get some more games together. I know there are reasons behind it, but we just don’t play enough cricket at national level outside of our domestic season.”

Tomlinson comes across as a cool, composed figure but admits as a captain he has had to learn those qualities.

“I captained one game in Canada last year, but since then I’ve grown a lot tactically and started to feel comfortable as a leader in a group.

“I used to get really angry, but I’ve learnt that no one really means to make mistakes and I’ve calmed down. However, there should be a standard of cricket we play, and as long as everybody understands where that standard is, we will be fine. Of course, we will slip sometimes, but we’ll do well as long as everybody understands the goal.”

In the under-19 squad, Tomlinson will be working with new coach Clay Smith, who has taken over the role from Janeiro Tucker, but the man in charge will not have to worry about his captain taking advantage of turning 18 to get sucked into nightlife and Bermuda’s drinking culture.

“I’ve always been a guy who has never been one to go out,” Tomlinson said.

“I prefer being part of a small group, chilling out, watching a movie rather than partying, which has never been much of an interest to me.

“I’ll admit when I went 18 in October, I did go out a bit, but I’ve already got over that and now having had some nice performances in my cricket, it’s made me focus and realise that I don’t need to change anything.

“I don’t need alcohol messing things up for me.”