Akolade is like many 15 year old boys. He has a burning ambition to play professional cricket. Unlike many others he has a plan to do it.
He emailed me from Nigeria to outline what he was going to do and ask for my help. I could see he wanted to make it, but I had to tell him there was nothing else I could add.
Here was the plan Akolade sent me:

1. I have contacted County Academy Directors regarding joining the county academy system. I learned that I should send my performance on a DVD with references.
2. I have found an ex-first class South African cricketer to coach me.
3. My coach is working for me to go to South Africa to attend Shedder Cricket Academy for a 6 month course to improve my cricket. After this I want to attend a fast bowling course in India or Australia.
4. I will then send the entire requirement to the county academies.

This is a remarkable focus for a young man. I get a lot of emails similar to this from players aiming to make it to the top, yet none have ever given me such a comprehensive plan. Even more incredibly, he has done this as an orphan since the age of 9.
Of course you need a talent to go with an ambitious plan, and as a Nigerian under 19 International Akolade certainly has that. But this lad can teach us all something: If you have a plan you can improve from where you are, no matter how humble the talent. No excuses.
I wish Akolade all the luck in the world in making it and leave you with a question:
If you have any ambitions in cricket, are you doing as much to meet them as Akolade?