For many ardent West Indian followers and supporters over the age of45 or so, remembering the great batting traits of Guyanese RohanBabulall Kanhai is like a very pleasant dream, especially when he waspaired, in the mind and on the field of play,
Colin Croft02-May-2000For many ardent West Indian followers and supporters over the age of45 or so, remembering the great batting traits of Guyanese RohanBabulall Kanhai is like a very pleasant dream, especially when he waspaired, in the mind and on the field of play, with the incomparableBarbadian, (Sir) Garfield Sobers. These guys operated mostly in the60’s. One such situation developed in 1968 when England were thetourists. Kanhai made 150 and Sobers made 152 in the Bourda Testmatch. Believe me, the grass actually became brown after such ashellacking.Of course, younger supporters would also remember that other greatpair of batsmen of the 70’s too, Guyanese Alvin Kallicharran andJamaican Lawrence Rowe, who so dominated proceedings and tormentedopposition’s bowlers, and had many a friendly tussle betweenthemselves, before the advent of the “Master Blaster”, (Sir) VivianRichards. One would get that impression that, like fast bowlersoperating “in fours”, especially in the Caribbean, batsmen in theseparts seem to come in at least “twos”, or pairs, except Richards ofcourse, who was basically on his own, but superlative.Well, I am here to tell you that the same will again happen sometimein the not too distant future. Ramnaresh Sarwan of Guyana andSylvester Joseph of Antigua & Barbuda and the Leeward Islands, two ofthe youths of the future West Indies cricket team, would most probablyemulate their legendary counterparts. These guys, young as they are,inexperienced as they are, will be very special in their own way whenthey eventually take center stage, which is already here, in a way.Let us see what we find when we put the microscope on Sarwan.In June, 2000, Ramnaresh Sarwan will be 20 years old. That is as gooda time as any to start one’s “real” international cricket career,”playing with the big boys.” Sobers started his career much youngerthan that, and so too, recently, did Shivnarine Chanderpaul. After hisshowing so far this year, and hopefully, continuing from there, oneshould not be too far wrong if one suggested that Sarwan would beselected in the West Indies squad for the tour of England this Englishsummer. What a birthday present that would be for the young Guyanese.Indeed, with his selection to the 14-man West Indies squad for the 1stand ultra important Test against Pakistan at Bourda, Sarwan at leasthas an opportunity, even if he does not actually play, to learnsomething of the “big leagues” by rubbing shoulders with the “bigones.” Since Sylvester Joseph has already made his One DayInternational debut against the Pakistanis in Grenada last month,Sarwan could also be allowed to get his true international colors.Guyanese fans would rejoice!!Many of the older supporters have already suggested that Sarwanreminds them so much of the budding “Lall”, Rohan Kanhai. Theslight, but very loose frame, the liquidity of movement, the standardseemingly effortless, but effective ability of dispatching bowlers,fast and slow, to all parts of the field, yet the nonchalance ofseemingly not being involved at all, are all there. If anything,Sarwan seems so confident, something I knew was very much part of themake-up of Kanhai, that perhaps he still thinks that cricket is agame. Soon, he will probably understand it is his job, and thereforemore thought would have to be put into the effort, if his career is toblossom from the bud it is now, and take off to being the wonderfulfruit is can become, and last some considerable time too.Sarwan has been playing for Guyana since 1995, as a Youth player, andsince 1996, as a regular member of the senior Busta Cup squad. He hasactually done quite a lot since his arrival on the cricket scene. Notonly has he impressed everyone with his obvious poise, even if he hasnot yet really produced scores, before this year, to really impresswith statistics, but he has already been on two tours, almostsimultaneously. In 1997, he was selected to that ill-fated YouthWorld Cup in South Africa, then asked to stay on for the West Indies”A” team tour there. He impressed all with his poise andunderstanding of the game.Amazingly, he is the first batsman anywhere in the Caribbean recentlythat anyone could have suggested, after just seeing him bat once,that, all things being equal, he will definitely play for the WestIndies. The last person to have such an accolade was Chanderpaulhimself. If anything is sure, then, after those two classy centuries,100 and 111, against Zimbabwe while playing for the West IndiesCricket Board President’s XI, in which he displayed all of hisabilities of driving, cutting and stroking, it was a certainty thatSarwan had pencilled in his name for future, higher honors. The 1stinnings 100 against Zimbabwe at Guaracara Park was one of thoseinnings that will probably be remembered by all who saw it for sometime to come. “Classy” just begins to describe that innings.There was a feeling that Ramnaresh Sarwan could have been somewhat”big-headed” in the past. That is as maybe. Perhaps he nowunderstands that cricket at its highest level is not played withwords, but by deeds.”Look, I know that I have a lot to learn. Okay, so I have made twocenturies in the same game, and I am very proud to have done so. Ieven hear that I have broken a record or something, as since 1968, Ithink, when Roy Fredericks also got separate centuries in a firstclass game, I am the next person to do the same feat. I hear that Iam the first to do so for a President’s XI representative game againsttouring teams. That is good for me, and my confidence is up.However, I also know that I have not really gone anywhere yet, and Ihave so much more I need to do. I can only learn and, hopefully, getbetter.”Ramnaresh Sarwan is nobody’s fool. He knows where he wants to go.Somehow, he also gives the impression that he knows where he is. Allhe needs now is to take the journey upwards. Those two centuriesagainst Zimbabwe have certainly put him on his way!!If he is selected in the final XI for the 1st Test against Pakistan atthe weekend, it would be the icing on a career which has startedrather young, stuttered a bit for production, but may have come tofruition at the correct time. Like no other time in the past, theWest Indies batting line-up need personnel, both gifted anddetermined.With Chris Gayle, Ricardo Powell and Wavell Hinds joining the battingranks recently, the young brigade of batsmen have a chance to makenames for themselves, and more importantly, enable the West Indianbowlers to do their jobs without the immense pressure they have hadrecently. The West Indian bowlers need help from the batsmen badly.Let us hope that Ramnaresh Sarwan, along the other recently cappedplayers, understand this need and do their part to help out here!!