CHATTERGOON, Sewnarine
D.O.B: April 03, 1981
Teams: Berbice, Guyana, West Indies
Sewnarine Chattergoon is a slimly built, diminutive left-handed opening batsman who has contested 69 first-class games to date inclusive of four Test matches since making his debut for Guyana against South Africa A at the Uitvlugt Community Centre ground in 2000. He has also represented the West Indies in 18 One Day Internationals but poor returns in domestic and regional tournaments over a protracted period has caused him to lose his place in the regional side for exactly two years.
From very early he was deemed to be a compact player with a sound defence and he did perform creditably at both local and regional youth levels which influenced the senior national selectors to draft him into the side for his debut encounter against the second string Proteas.
In early 2001 he played three matches in the Busta four-day regional tournament and constructed a gritty half-century in a winning cause against the Windward Islands at Bourda but an unbeaten century (102) versus Antigua and Barbuda in the 50-over Red Stripe Bowl competition at the same venue later that same year proved that he was on his way to the big times.
He confirmed his ability in the 2002 Busta series with a polished hundred (143 – his highest first-class score to date) for Guyana against Bangladesh A at Bourda when he and Azimul Haniff (235) put on a massive 340 for the first wicket to set the home team on the way to a huge innings and 143-run victory.
In the 2003-2004 period he had generally lean returns but in 2005 he achieved his then highest seasonal first-class average of 40.33 run per innings and struck a fighting undefeated even century against the Leeward Islands in Nevis to earn his team a draw.
The increasingly confident opener then proceeded to carry Guyana to an exciting win when they came up against Barbados in the KFC Cup 50-over final at Bourda later the same year by  registering a truly mature and magnificent 119.
With the West Indies looking for a long time partner for Chris Gayle at the top of the order, he drew closer attention from cricketing pundits and he continued to stake his claim with consistent performances.
In 2006, Chattergoon recorded a crucial century (107) playing for West Indies A against England A in the second ‘Test’ in St Lucia and 81 in the first limited overs game before he was sidelined by injury. Yet he averaged 44.16 runs per innings that season.
After making only nine on his One Day International debut against the Zimbabweans in Guyana in mid-2006 he struck the opposition for a quick-fire unbeaten 54 in only his second game in St Lucia under lights as he and Gayle (95 not out) put on an unbroken partnership of 156 to see West Indies home.
The youngster was, however, left out of the team for the final two matches of the series and did not return to the fold until the fifth match against India later that season when he made a golden duck.
When the South Africans toured the region in 2008 he was picked for three ODI games and was consistent with scores of 34, 52 and 48.
The Albion-based player was involved in his first Test against the visiting Sri Lankans at the Queen’s Park Oval in April, 2008 and compiled a steady 46 in his first knock which helped the home side to win the game by six wickets.
Two months later, he came up against the Australians in Barbados for his second encounter but he failed with scores of six and 13 as the tourists claimed victory by 87 runs. In the second innings he batted at number eight because of a badly twisted ankle which he sustained while fielding.
He was selected for the tour of New Zealand at the end of 2008 but contributions of 13, 13 and 25 the three times be batted in the two Tests were enough for the selectors to let go of him and look elsewhere.
In the limited-overs series on the same tour he fared no better eking out scores of 14, six, 17 not out and one in the four games he contested.
As if to remind the selectors of his ability, he did punish the Barbadians to the tune of 111 at Providence in the 2009 regional four-day tournament but his efforts to snake his way back to the top have borne little fruit since then.
RECORD:  
TESTS 4: RUNS 127: AVG 18.14: HS: 46 vs Sri Lanka, Trinidad, 2008
ODIs 18: RUNS 370: AVG 24.66: HS: 54* vs Zimbabwe, St Lucia, 2006.

(Digicel: Guyana’s Bigger, Better Network)