President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chetram Singh has sent a congratulatory message to the newest member of the West Indies 5000-run club Ramnaresh Sarwan.
Sarwan reached the milestone during his century against England in the just concluded first test match of the 2009 Digicel Series in Jamaica to become at 28 the youngest West Indian to reach the milestone.
In a press release Singh stated that…”Sarwan’s performance has made many a Guyanese proud and it is with great pride that such an achievement has been attained.”
He was full of praise for the 28-year-old Essequibian, cricketer who has now amassed 5016 runs from 75 test matches.
The stylish Sarwan has scored 12 test centuries and averages a respectable 40.12.
Singh said that with youth on Sarwan’s side, he had many more sterling years to offer the West Indies and that many more runs and landmarks beckoned.
“May you continue to maintain your interest in the game, may you retain your hunger for batting leading the West Indies to more glorious victories, and may the runs continue to flow from that prolific blade, keeping the Golden Arrowhead aloft,” Singh stated.
Sarwan is also closing in one the 5000-club at the One-Day level.
He has so far scored some 4594 runs in 141 games at an average of 44.17.
Sarwan became the fifth Guyanese overall to achieve this remarkable landmark following in the footsteps of Rohan Kanhai (6227), Clive Lloyd (7515), Carl Hooper (5762) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (8223).
Sarwan became the 11 West Indies batsmen to pass the illustrious 5000 mark joining such greats as Brian Lara (11,953), Sir Viv Richards (8540), Sir Garfield Sobers (8032), Gordon Greenidge (7558), Desmond Haynes (7487), Richie Richardson (5949) and his captain Chris Gayle (5213) in addition to the four Guyanese mentioned above.