explains how he started bowling off-spin

By Sean Devers
THOSE who have followed Regional Youth and local Division one cricket would not be surprised of the batting ability of 23-year-old West Indies ‘White ball’ Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, who scored a match- saving unbeaten 77 against the Windwards in Grenada in the second round of the Regional First-Class tournament.

Sinclair, who played three ODIs and six T2OIs for West Indies, batted for over three hours, facing 138 while reaching the ropes nine times and clearing it once.

Sinclair, picked for his spin bowling, was joined by last man Ronsford Beaton with Guyana Harpy Eagles on 211-9 and the pair featured in a last-wicket partnership of 49 to draw the game.

Sinclair made 43 in the opening round when Guyana beat defending Champions Barbados in Antigua before his 23 and 77 in the last round.

Last year March, Sinclair, opening the batting for Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, scored a century against Blairmont at Albion, along with Kevlon Anderson. In the BCB’s Division one cricket Sinclair has two centuries.

The first one was in the Pepsi 50-over final in 2018 when he scored 130 against Young Warriors.

While Sinclair was always an opener for his club and Guyana at youth level, he was not always an off-spinner.

The Berbician played for Guyana as an opener at the Regional U-15 level in 2014, at the U-17 level in 2015 and 2016, and at the U-19 level in 2017 and 2018. His highest score at U-19 level is 82 against Canada when he opened with Raymond Perez.

Sinclair, who is set to play for GCC this season explained when he was picked for the academy in 2019, he was used as a bowler in the nets, bowling especially to the left-handers, adding that he did not get much batting.

The young all-rounder explained that while he has been picked by West Indies and Guyana primarily as a bowler he works hard on his batting.

“I spend a lot of time at sessions in Georgetown and in Berbice when I’m home and credit must be given to coach Esuan Crandon, who always stressed on my batting abilities…I do enjoy both batting and bowling.

Being able to bat well is very important and it brings more value to whatever team I play for and I always want to be able to be outstanding with bat and ball” informed Sinclair, who born in Guyana’s oldest Town, New Amsterdam.

The West Indies off-spinning all-rounder explained how he became an off-spinner
“I was an opener from the age of 14 and a medium fast bowler. My grandfather changed that when he told me to bowl off spin against Albion. He told me the Albion batters don’t play off-spin well. I bowled to some senior National players and I got 4-25.

My aim is to perform for the West Indies team at the international level…that’s my dream.” added Sinclair who made his First-Class debut against Barbados in Barbados on January 16, 2020.

He feels his form with the bat (which is being shown on YouTube) will be seen by many who don’t know he could bat, which is a good thing for him.

“Yes! I am pleased with my work with the bat this season since I was known for my bowling. Now my batting is coming together,” continued the lad who has bowled 17 times in first-class games and taken 20 wickets with a best of 3-65 and averages 24.53 with the bat after scoring 368 runs with two fifties.

Sinclair, who has played 26 List ‘A’ and 15 T20s, came to prominence when he had lowest economy rate in the 2009 Regional Super50 in Trinidad which helped the West Indies emerging players win the tournament in their debut season.

Sinclair’s fast and flat style of bowling is well suited for ‘white Ball’ cricket, especially T20 clashes with dot balls without taking a bag full of wickets, will more often than not win matches.
“I consider myself an all format player and pushing to be that it will require a lot of work and I’m willing to do so.

I’m looking to be consistent with bat and ball. My biggest challenge in Red ball cricket is bowling on different surfaces and obviously trying to spin the ball more and bowling at the right pace……but I am getting better … I just have to continue to improve.”

“Getting 4-41 against New Zealand in my second ODI game was most memorable. I was very emotional because my grandfather’s house was on fire a day before the game, to do so well I know he would have been proud.

“Well, I always wanna give back to the sport and in my community where younger one is there to help them reach their goals in the sports.

“So many people have helped, they are too numerous to mention but mainly my grandfather, Kevin Darlington, Narain Ragganandan, Mark Balgobin, Ramdhani Narine; ex commander of Region 6 Bryan Joseph; Clyde Butts, Sean Devers, Ian Bishop and Esuan Crandon” concluded Sinclair.