By Brandon Corlette
In his last 10 T20 innings for Guyana Amazon Warriors, Shimron Hetmyer had only two scores above double figures. Since his return to local cricket in the SBF Petroleum Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) 50-overs Franchise he recorded scores of 28, 08, 06, and 18 for his West Berbice Franchise. Hetmyer possess all the talent in the world and it is only a matter of time until he returns to form and get among the runs.
Speaking exclusively to this publication, after his team’s victory against Georgetown, the West Berbice captain, Hetmyer stated that he is taking it one step at a time as the series against Afghanistan looms. “I am going as well as I could but I am working on my game and taking it one step at a time and I am just trying to hit as much ball as possible, looking ahead of the upcoming (Afghanistan) series”, Hetmyer disclosed.
Hetmyer has often been criticized for his similar fashion of getting out on the big stage. As was seen in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), he played some irresponsible shots but this is just a bad patch in his career. In this local match, some of his dismissals has been similar in nature; hitting bowlers for sweet sixes and gifting his wicket away soon after. However, he still remains one of the brightest prospects in West Indies cricket as was seen with his latest selection.
The 22-year old Hetmyer, the only Guyanese to have earned selection for all three formats in the West Indies team for the Afghanistan series, will tour India from November 5 to December 1. West Indies will play three T20 Internationals, three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and one Test match between that period. With one round remaining in the SBF CGI franchise, Hetmyer will play one more match before leaving for West Indies preparation for the Afghanistan series.
From a brilliant 2018 scoring 440 runs in the CPL then a tough season of 224 runs with only three scores surpassing double digits, Hetmyer still has a supreme ODI career for his age. The Berbician has 37 ODI matches under his belt with four hundreds and four half-centuries at an average of 38.67, one run short of 1200 ODI runs. He holds the record of the youngest centurion on home soil.
His Test career and T20 International career for West Indies have not been mined blowing as yet; he has 15 Tests and only five half centuries with a high score of 93 while he only had 12 innings in T20I for West Indies with a top-score of 26.
Reflecting on West Berbice one-wicket win against Georgetown, Hetmyer stated that it was an all-round team performance that was very well-composed. “We had some ups and downs but the guys pulled it off at the end”, Hetmyer echoed. West Berbice had only recorded one lost in the ongoing tournament and their success had been surrounded by the brilliance of an all-round Kevin Sinclair, who recorded three player of the match performances.
The West Berbice captain, Hetmyer had this to say about Sinclair: “He has been one of the greatest finds in the league; I am very much impressed with his performances and after seining him when he was younger and how me matured as a cricketer presently, it is only great for Guyana cricket and he could only get better”.
