Junior Cricketer-of-the-Year, Kevin Sinclair, has set his sights on breaking into the Guyana Jaguars team after an outstanding 2018.
The 19-year-old, of Patrick Dam, New Amsterdam, Berbice was declared the winner of the prestigious award when the Guyana Cricket Board held its annual awards ceremony Wednesday at the Umana Yana, Kingston.
The young talent in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport said: “My aim is to be consistent with my runs, scoring heavily and getting among the wickets in order to break into the Guyana national side.
“This year I have been training very hard and putting in the hard work and to see it pay off today is one of the best feelings but I could not have done it without the support and advice from the people around me throughout the tournament and year,” he added.
The grandson of former Berbice cricketer, Carlton Sinclair, who was instrumental in the early development of the awardee’s career also walked away with the most wickets in the Cricket West Indies Regional under-19 tournament.
He also took 12 wickets in the three-day format with 6-50 his best match figures.
His haul in the 50 overs format was 10 wickets including figures of 4-23 against Canada in a championship winning effort.
Not surprisingly, Sinclair has won the most wickets award at the Under-17 (2016) and Under-15 (2014) tournaments.
He described 2018 as “one of the best years since playing cricket.”
In the 50 overs format, Sinclair ended the competition as Guyana’s second highest run getter with 129 runs at an average of 32.25 while in the three-day format, he scored 97 runs including a highest score of 51, earning him the Most Valuable Player award.
Sinclair, who was invited to train and play among the Guyana Jaguars during their practice ahead of the 2018-2019 Cricket West Indies Regional Four-day title defence, began playing cricket in an open field at age seven.
He recalled his grandfather rounding up the neighbours to play all day, eventually naming themselves Police and forming the club.
The young Sinclair played for Police Sports Club until 2016 when he joined the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club.
This year alone he won six titles with the side and he was the captain on three of those sis title victories.
His leadership ability, which had been recognized from an early age saw him captaining Police Under-15, Berbice Under-17 and Under-19 sides in addition to being the Guyana Under-19 vice-captain.
Sinclair explained that he also wants to improve his fitness, noting that the national coaches, Esaun Crandon and Rayon Griffith are role models in the way they push the team to become the fittest in the Caribbean, something he wants to impart into his own game.
The former Canje Secondary School student recalled hopping on his bicycle at 5:30 am just to get to school early and “get a knock” before the school bell rang.
