Suggests former Guy & Windies ‘B’ player Derick Kallicharran

Mar 05, 2022 Sports

Replicate what brought success in 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s

By Sean Devers

Derick Kallicharran, who played the first of his 39 First-Class games in 1979 against Barbados, says playing Shell Shield cricket was tougher than what is being played in the Caribbean now and in his opinion, the standard is way lower.

Kallicharran & his son Matthew

The 63-year-old Berbician averaged 24.72, with a best of 88 against Windwards in St. Vincent in 1985 while taking 98 wickets with a best of 6-60 against Jamaica.
“Pitches in every Island was different and brought out the best in all the players. Each player was always going to fight to keep their spot in the team that he represented.
During those days, it was an honour to play for your country and we also did it with pride, heart and discipline. It wasn’t about the money that some these people are getting,” said Kallicharran, who toured Zimbabwe with West Indies B team in 1983 and Kenya in 1994 and India, Pakistan, Malaysia in 1996 with the USA team.
“I don’t know if West Indies Cricket will ever go back to what it used to be. The cricket board needs to look back on what brought success in 70’s, 80’s and part of 90’s and start with preparing pitches like it was before. Players must earn their selection and it not be given to them,” added Kallicharran.
Born in Port Mourant to Isaac and Paidamah Kallicharran, Derick attended Tain Primary school and then Chandisingh High School, renamed Corentyne High School.
“Growing up in Tain Settlement was always fun, even though not from a wealthy family, we were very happy and contented. I certainly miss those days; playing softball cricket, marbles, stealing mangoes and other fruits in the neighbourhood.
Port Mourant being a small area and growing up, you were told to respect everyone and also playing cricket brings everyone together,” said Kallicharran who has five brothers and six sisters.

Derrick and his wife with Shiv Chanderpaul at function in the USA.

“While at Tain school I played inter-house cricket as a 10-year-old, then inter-school. Coming from a cricketing family, where my dad, brothers and uncles played the game, so I got involved,” informed Kallicharran, whose brother is former Test player Alvin Kallicharran while his nephews are former Test spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo and ex Guyana Keeper Vishal Nagamootoo,
“Cricket became everything to me as I got older and I wanted to be better than anyone else.
I got lots of help from a local village business family in Tain and my sisters, who bowled to me in our backyard.
I started going to Port Mourant Community Centre as a kid and we could only do the fielding, when the seniors are practicing. Eventually, we got our own area to practice that we built with supervision from the late Isaac Surinarine.
It was a gradual process to be able to start practicing with seniors. We were brought up the proper way to play cricket.
It was not coaching, but discipline to the game of … not much of that is going into cricket these days at all levels, including West Indies,” Kallicharan added.
Kallicharran started playing for Port Mourant at a very young age and played in Boys club.
“Being at PMCC, it’s a process before you can play for the first division team. Some players were good enough so they played first division in the Davison Cup.

West Indies B team to Zimbabwe. Kallicharran is standing right.

I was 12th man for PMCC for almost a year before I got my opportunity at Blairmont when one of our players didn’t show up.
I made use of that as I batted at 11 and made 25 not out. My next game was against Albion and that was the start of my career at Port Mourant.
Playing in Berbice with and against some of the best in the country, you learn a lot, about the game and discipline,” Kallicharran disclosed.
He explained how he became a leg spinner. “We were called to under -19 trials in Georgetown, there was rain and we were taken to Cultural Centre Tarmac to practice.
I finished batting and a few of us were standing and talking and Joe Solomon, who was one of the selectors at the time and he asked me to come.
I bowled everything, off breaks, leg breaks and another delivery that turned the other way. I was asked to bowl it again and again. Joe asked, do you know what you are bowling? I said leg breaks and off breaks.
He said no, it’s a google. I got picked as a bowler who could bat, instead of the other way. This was 1977 and I had a good tournament with both bat and ball,” Kallicharran explained.

Kallicharran pulls for four on his List A debut against Jamaica at Bourda.

After the1978 under-19 Tournament Kallicharran was selected for Shell Shield trials.
After Sen Gopaul, who was the leg spinner at the time made himself unavailable, Kallicharran played against Barbados in Barbados and it was there he learnt the real lesson about batting and bowling.
“I became a member of GCC in 1980 under the smartest captain I have known, Steve Camacho. My time there was short as there were two leg spinners to pick from so I moved to Everest.
I played there with Clyde Butts, Len Baichan, Zulfikar Hassan and Neville Pertab. The members were superb with the support they give us. My main supporter was Tony Xavier, Mr. Juman Yasin and David Persaud,” Kallicharran posited.
Kallicharran says the 1983 Geddes Grant- Harrison Final against Jamaica at Bourda was a special memory.
“I had not played limited overs prior to the final because Guyana had a few good all Rounders in the team…William Whyte, Kamal Singh, Roger Harper, Garfield Charles.
On the morning of the game I found out I was actually playing and White was dropped.
We were 69-5 with Fredericks, Lyte, Bacchus, Lloyd, and Lynch gone. That was special because of the amount of people that were watching and listening, the opposition and most importantly, Guyana wasn’t in a good position when I went into bat. I made 69 not out and had two good partnerships with Pydanna and Kamal Singh. We reached 211-8 and won. I was MVP.
Just a few days before I was MVP in the Shell Shield game against Jamaica,” disclosed Kallicharran.
Kallicharran remembers other innings he played, especially against Barbados and Jamaica. Playing against the likes of Garner, Marshall, Wayne Daniels, Roberts, Holding, Walsh and Patterson.
In 1978 and 1979 Kallicharran played for Smethwick Cricket Club in Birmingham England, 1980 and 1981 for Horwich in the Bolton league, 1982 and 1983 for London Post in London and two years in the Scottish League for Strathmore Cricket Club.
In 1986, he moved to USA and played in New York. I started with Richmond Hill Vikings club that included Seu Shivnarine and Randolph Ramnarace. He played for Enmore club and Centurion and in a Masters League for Bleachers, which mainly consisted of Jamaicans.
While in the USA, Kallicharran worked for Time Warner Cable as a Sales rep for 15 years before he got into Real Estate.
He has been happily married for 36 years and has a son, Matthew, who is in College and does not play cricket.
He thanked all who helped him including his close friend Roy Ramsammy and family, all the various clubs he played for and his wife.