By Akeem Greene
Shimron Hetmyer was named Vice-captain for the Guyana Jaguars for this month’s CG Insurance Super50 Cup in Antigua. It is the first time he has been afforded that role in a senior regional team since his success at the Youth World Cup in 2016.
According to the left-hander, he will bring the experience gained from current West Indies’ captains.
Since that historic Under-19 World Cup triumph, the calls have been numerous for further grooming of Hetmyer as potential West Indies captain.
While his Jaguars’ Vice-captaincy role is not a forgone audition for leadership, it expected to test his maturity with regards to added responsibility in a tournament that is expected to be highly competitive.
To succeed, the 24-year-old plans on using the knowledge acquired from his international white-ball captain, Kieron Pollard, and Test captain, Jason Holder, to aid in the fancied success of the Jaguars.
“It is something I have to get used to again, but as it is I am really trying to take in as much as I can because being around Jason [Holder] and Polly [Kieron Pollard] for a while and learning new things, it always helps. So I will try to take in the little that I know and try to help the guys as much as possibly can,” Hetmyer stated at Thursday’s virtual press briefing in Antigua.
“For me, no, I see it more as a challenge because I have not been playing any cricket from since in New Zealand so it more of a challenge for me and really looking forward to being around the guys and playing competitive cricket.”
This will be Hetmyer’s first List A match for the Jaguars since the Super50 tournament in February 2018.
He batted in seven innings and scored 284 runs at an average of 47.33, and had a best of 103.
There is a great hunger to get back cricket since he returned from the New Zealand tour in December, as he opted not to tour Bangladesh due to COVID-19 concerns.
“Yes, I am very much looking forward to it because I have not been playing cricket since I got back from New Zealand. I have been doing some work on basically fitness [since] I was no getting the chance to hit balls because of the weather in Guyana. So I am really excited and looking forward to it.”
With five One-Day International centuries to his name and the experience of playing in the Indian Premier League, the top-order batsman is seen as one of the most important pieces in Guyana’s move to end the 16-year drought for a 50-over title.
He confidently expressed there is no burden of expectation or pressure and is up for competing against his West Indies teammates, first of whom would be Jason Holder and his Barbados Pride on Monday at the Coolidge Cricket ground.
“I am excited about it because I have been playing with Jason and the other guys for a long time and there is always this bragging rights that we have against each other so it is more of us going out there and enjoying ourselves and see who wins the bragging rights at the end of the day.”
Like most of the franchises, Jaguars ended their two-day isolation on Wednesday and are now engaged in small group sessions. They are expected to begin outdoor sessions on Friday.