By Avenash Ramzan
After missing out on selection for the Guyana Jaguars, all-rounder Kevin Sinclair is looking forward to his Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 stint with the West Indies Emerging Players squad.
Sinclair was outstanding with bat and ball for West Berbice in the just-concluded SBF Petroleum 50-over Franchise League, scoring 235 runs and claiming 13 wickets, including a best of 5-31.
The tournament was used by the National Selectors to get a gauge as to the best possible combination of players to represent Guyana.
Many felt the 19-year-old was unfortunate to miss out on national selection, but now with a spot in the West Indies Emerging Players Squad, Sinclair is looking to maximise on the opportunity.
The former national youth player spoke to News Room on Thursday.
Looking ahead to the Super50: “I feel I should take the same form, and whatever approach I had taken in the Franchise League to get runs and wickets I think I should carry that experience over to the squad as well. I look forward to a good season with them.”
Making the transition from youth to senior cricket: “I work on my batting and bowling a lot. My grandfather does be working with me when I get back home in terms of my batting and sharing advise. Kevin Darlington (the former Guyana fast bowler) and numerous other people just advising me along in the game. Advise and just putting in the work in my batting and bowling- that’s what got me here today.”
Goals for the Super50: “I’ve already set out my goals, but my main focus is to just bat and bat as long as possible because at that level you need some level of application at the crease. That is what I’m looking to do.”
Missing out on national selection: “Not making the (Guyana) side, it got to me, but then I said ‘I’m confident of making some sort of side.’ I was looking forward to hearing or seeing my name in the Emerging side. I want to give God thanks and praise for that. But I wasn’t discouraged, I just would have kept working more hard and I surely know I would get pick for Guyana soon.”
About the West Indies Emerging Players Squad
SQUAD: Yannic Cariah (Captain), Kimani Melius (Vice-Captain), Camarie Boyce, Roland Cato, Joshua Da Silva, Dominic Drakes, Justin Greaves, Keon Harding, Leonardo Julian, Jermaine Levy, Ashmead Nedd, Gidron Pope, Jayden Seales and Kevin Sinclair.
Team Management Unit: Floyd Reifer (Head Coach), Kenny Benjamin (Assistant Coach), Dr. Oba Gulston (Physiotherapist), Gregory Seale (Strength & Conditioning Coordinator) and Dinesh Mahabir (Analyst).
“Yannic Cariah is recommended as captain because his experience better positions him to lead and help guide this young team,” said Chairman of the West Indies Senior Men’s Selection Panel, Roger Harper.
“Kimani Melius is recommended as vice-captain for succession planning purposes. He is the West Indies U-19 captain and the intention for the exposure is to give him a greater opportunity for learning and growth.”
The Emerging Players squad has been introduced into the Super50 Cup by Cricket West Indies to facilitate further development and learning opportunities for players who have featured in the CWI High Performance Pathway in recent times.
“A young player may miss out on selection at their franchise if they are up against two or three internationals with similar skill-sets,” said CWI director of cricket, Jimmy Adams.
“The Emerging Players squad aims to provide the platform for these players to perform and reward the hard work they have been putting in following their stints at the West Indies High Performance Centre.”
The West Indies Emerging Players squad have been pooled with last year’s losing finalists Guyana Jaguars, as well as hosts and 11-time champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, recent winners Windward Islands Volcanoes and the United States for Group “B” matches which will be played at the Queen’s Park Oval and Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.
Reifer said his main goal will be to ensure the players in the squad show improvement in their understanding of the game, as individuals and as a single unit.
The Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup will be played from November 6 to December 1.
