By Sean Devers
Guyanese Kevin Sinclair has taken eight wickets for the West Indies in their ‘A’ team Three-Test tour to Bangladesh in the first two ‘Tests including 5-79 on Friday as the visitors won the second four-day ‘Test’ by three wickets.
The third unofficial Test starts on Tuesday with the visitors leading 1-0 after the first match ended in a draw.
The 23-year-old off-spinner has been included for the three-match ODI series in the UAE and the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
The West Indies will face the USA in their first match of the World Cup Qualifiers on June 18 following the conclusion of the UAE series on June 9th.
Sinclair, who has 49 wickets and five fifties from 17 first-class games since making his debut against Barbados at Bridgetown in January 16, 2020, spoke to Chronicle Sports.
Sinclair said he is delighted to be back in the West Indies’ ‘white ball’ squad adding that his dream is to play for the West Indies at highest level.
The Guyanese has played three ODIs since making his debut against New Zealand in Barbados last August after playing six T20Is against Sri Lanka in Antigua and South Africa in Grenada in 2021.
However, his first five wicket-haul (6-33) in March gave Guyana its 13th first-class title.
The last day of the tournament began with the Leewards needing 62 to win with eight wickets in hand and the off-spinner produced a destructive match winning spell.
His second five-wicket haul came in the Weekes/Headley four-day tournament in Antigua when he captured 5-48 before taking 5-79 on Friday in Bangladesh. In his last five matches, Sinclair has taken 24 wickets.
During that period, he scored his highest score of 88 in the first Weeks/Headley and an unbeaten 53 in the drawn first ‘Test’ in Bangladesh.
When asked what he did in the last few months to become successful with the ball at the first-class level, Sinclair said it was a big transition for him.
“It was very difficult at first getting into bowling slower in red ball cricket. I am bowling slower now, spinning the ball more and bringing batsmen forward hence I’m getting more success.
I have also been doing a lot of spot bowling and working on my variations,” said Sinclair, who came to prominence when he had the best economy rate in the Regional Super50 in Trinidad which the West Indies Emerging Players won in November 2019.
The Berbician, who informed that Bangladesh off-spinner Mehdi Hasan Miraz has helped him improve, also spoke of the importance of being able to contribute with the bat.
“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.
It’s not far off, I believe a hundred will come at the right time once I spend time at the crease and do the basics for a long period” informed Sinclair, who was born in Guyana’s oldest town, New Amsterdam.
Sinclair, who has two centuries in Berbice first division cricket, 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.