Sham Samaroo

March 1, 2009

Yesterday, at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, Sarwan gave us yet another example of the enormous talent that he possesses with an innings oozing of pure class and character. In a word, he was imperious. An extra cover drive ricocheted off the boundary board before the bowler had a chance to complete his follow through. It was, as we say in the West Indies, a-not-a-man-move stroke. In fact, it was the kind of innings that cricket fans have come to identify with West Indies cricket, but had not seen in some time. I had the good fortune of watching the game at the WINDIES Restaurant (216-06 Jamaica Avenue) with another prodigious Guyanese talent, Anil Jairam. 

In my 2009 predictions, I said that Sarwan had the potential to be the next great West Indian batsman, but so far it had not been realized.  And I felt that it would be the make or break year for him because at 28, his time is fast running out. Sarwan too may have sensed it for he is nine short of aggregating 500 runs in this series with three hundreds and a low score of 94. Throughout the series, after that reprieve at Sabina Park in the first test, Sarwan looked like a man on a mission; a batsman who has belatedly come to the realization that he, and he alone, is the master of his destiny. I likened Sarwan to another sportsman who squandered his early years – one Andre Agassi – but who went on to become one of the truly greats of tennis.

Even though West Indies faced the daunting task of scoring 400 runs to avoid the follow on, it is a measure of his talent and self-belief that Sarwan was untroubled throughout his innings. Regally ensconced on his throne, Sarwan batted like a king without a worry on his mind. Comfortable against both pace and spin, once when he used his feet to exquisitely caress Swann to the fence, an elderly gentleman was moved to remark: He looked like Rohan Kanhai when he played that shot!  

When on song Ramnaresh Sarwan is simply indescribable. The easy elegance of his stroke play is a sight for sore eyes desperately longing for a return of the glory days when West Indies ruled the roost. Yesterday, Sarwan played the kind of innings that he may one day look back on as the defining moment of his career. In the past he has tended to give his wicket away after reaching his hundred, and sure enough if there was one false stroke it came right after he got to his hundred. Luckily for him, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, a man who knows a thing or two about playing long innings, was there to offer a few pearls of wisdom. "He just told me to continue to concentrate and start all over again and I thought that was very thoughtful and helpful at that point in time," Sarwan said.

Sarwan would want to remember that when he resumes his innings later today.