Sinclair aims to repeat Super50 showing in CPL

May 16, 2020 Sports

---

Not disappointed if it’s suspended since saving lives more important than cricket

By Sean Devers

The Guyana Amazon Warriors announced earlier this week that the Franchise had retained its top players from their 2019 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) squad for this year’s season which is being threatened by the deadly COVID-19 Pandemic.

This year, the six teams are allowed to retain as many players from their 2019 squads as they wish, transfer players to other teams and sign emerging players.
The following are the Local and Regional players retained and signed by the Amazon Warriorsfranchise for CPL 2020:
Nicholas Pooran (Trinidad & Tobago), Shimron Hetmyer (Guyana), Brandon King (Jamaica), Keemo Paul (Guyana), Sherfane Rutherford (Guyana), Romario Shepherd (Guyana), Chandrapaul Hemraj (Guyana), Kevin Sinclair (Guyana), Odean Smith (Jamaica), Anthony Bramble (Guyana) and Emerging player.
It was also disclosed that the talented Guyanese off-spinner all-rounder Kevin Sinclair was the only new player contracted.
Sinclair had best economy rate among all bowlers in last November’s Colonial Medical Super50 Cup as the West Indies Emerging Players won the title in their debut tournament by beating home team T&T in the final.
Sinclair performed well with both bat and ball in his debut senior Regional tournament.
In his seven matches, he delivered 294 balls, conceded 152 runs, taken 11 wickets with a best of 4-20 and an amazing economy rate of just over two runs per over.

The cousin of former Guyana fast bowler Kevin Darlington, Sinclair batted five times and scored 218 runs with top-score 44 and strike rate of 95.75.
The Berbician made an inauspicious start to his First-Class career earlier this year. In his six matches he played he failed to contribute any outstanding performances taking 12 wickets and making 113 runs.
But the 20-year-old, who bowls defensively without extracting much turn, seems more comfortable bowling the white ball and says he is delighted to be involved in the CPL.
Sinclair informed that when he saw his name on the CPL Emerging Players list he knew that he would have been a part of this year’s Event but hoped to be picked in the local Franchise.
“It feels really good after watching it (the CPL matches) from the outside and now being able to be a part of it. It’s fantastic. I am confident of doing well…. just looking to stick to the basics and work hard.
“It should be more competitive but the same principle applies…. spending a bit of time at the crease and bowling tight,” informed Sinclair, who has not played any cricket since February.
The 2020 Event is set to start in August but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it be could be rescheduled and played at one venue (maybe the Kensington Oval in Barbados) with no spectators or ultimately cancelled.
“It’s obvious that everyone wants the CPL to be played including me but I won’t be too disappointed if it is not held since safety and saving lives is more important than cricket,” added the former Berbice and Guyana U-15, 17 and 19 cricketer.
Due to the pandemic, which is seeing the increase of ‘known’ cases of infections raising, Guyanese are being urged to stay at home and all Gyms and recreational facilitates are closed and Sinclair explained that he is doing strength and conditioning training on Zoom.
“I do like all formats of the game and would say I am a batting all-rounder …. just have to balance it with the ball,” said Sinclair, whose favorite manner of dismissing a batsman is LBW, while he enjoys straight driving.
Sinclair, who has three sisters and two brothers and lives with parents in Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, attended the Canje secondary school and bowled medium pace until, in a U-19 semi-final against Albion, his grandfather Carlton Sinclair saw him bowl spin and told him to be a spinner.
Sinclair sees himself playing for the West Indies senior team in the next four years.
Although Tucber Park is the closest first Division club from where Sinclair resides, they did not have a very strong youth system at the time when Sinclair opted to play for Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports club.
“I called and ask Mr (Hilbert) Foster to play U-19 for the club but I eventually got to play first division as well,” Sinclair informed how his fledging career commenced.
Sinclair wants to Coach after he is no longer playing cricket. “I want to become a coach since I always wanted to give back to the sport and help youngsters,” said Sinclair.
He thanked his grandfather, his Cousin Kevin Darlington, Mark Balgobin, Canadian based Ramdhanie Narine, former Police B Division Commander Mr Joseph, Michael Newland, Floyd Reifer and the Emerging Players’ Coaching staff, and Esuan Crandon and the Guyana Jaguars Coaching staff for helping him at various stages in his short career so far.

---

---