By Brandon Corlette
Anthony Bramble is the latest success story from Berbice. The wicket-keeper batsman has rightfully earned his well-deserved selection for the West Indies team. Bramble has been selected for the first two T20 Internationals against India at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida on August 3 and 4.
Speaking to this reporter post his maiden West Indies senior team call-up, Bramble shared some positive sentiments. “It’s an extremely joyful feeling for me and it is just the right call I have been waiting for”, Bramble told this reporter via telephone. The right-handed wicket-keeper batsman, who hails from Skeldon, Corentyne, Berbice and plays for Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, is the lone new-comer in the 14-member T20 squad that will play India.
Bramble, who is set to play against some high-quality names from India, has been rewarded with this senior call-up after some consistent performances at the Regional level. “I have been batting well for the past two season for Guyana Jaguars and heading into this T20 series I will be aiming to grab my opportunity with both hands”, Bramble declared.
The 28-year old Bramble signalled his intention to carry on his consistency when given his opportunity in the West Indies team. Along with Bramble in the West Indies T20 set-up, his fellow Guyana Amazon Warriors wicket-keeper batsman, Nicholas Pooran is the other gloves man. Chief Selector for the Caribbean team, Robert Haynes noted that Bramble has given firm proof of his batting and keeping ability in the Regional circuit for Guyana Jaguars.
Haynes also explained that Bramble, who captained West Indies B team to the final in the 2018 Global T20 in Canada, has been recognized. Bramble has also been picked up in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for the first time in three years by his home franchise, Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW).
“We have been following his performances in regional competitions over the years and it cannot be forgotten that he led the West Indies ‘B’ Team to the GT20 in Canada, and that team did well to reach the final,” said Haynes.
The humble Guyanese has played 12 T20 matches back in 2016 for GAW but since then he stamped his authority with some stellar performances in the Regional tournaments for Guyana Jaguars. In the 2017-2018 Regional 4-Day season, Bramble finished with 613 runs in 10 matches. His fruitful season saw him scoring a career-best 196* and four half-centuries, at an average of 47.15.
The counter-attacking manner in which Bramble scored these runs has always been a joy to watch, and his sharp work behind the stumps is equally attacking. Topping the wicketkeepers’ chart in 2017/18, Bramble had 42 catches and three stumpings. In the just-concluded 2018-2019 season, he topped the charts for Guyana Jaguars; in terms of runs, he aggregated 580 runs at a stellar average of 52.72, including two centuries against some quality bowling. He polished off the performance with the bat with his 42 dismissals.
Bramble has richly deserved this maiden call-up after this consistency. Haynes has spoken highly of Bramble. “He is young and has a lot of ambition, and we saw his character come out in the way he batted whenever Guyana Jaguars were in problems in the West Indies Championship and Super50 Cup, so we know he is capable of getting the job done”, Haynes disclosed when the West Indies T20 squad was selected.
