There was an outpouring of support and slew of congratulations for local cricketer Shamar Joseph yesterday on the heels of his stellar West Indies Test cricket debut against Australia, with Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali saying his country and the region could not be prouder of him.
Joseph’s performance, which saw him take seven wickets for 68 runs in the second Test against Australia, resulted in the West Indies winning their first Test match in 27 years in Australia. This has brought joy to the Caribbean and Guyana, but especially the residents of the small Canje River village Baracara from which he hails.
It was Joseph’s second Test. What made the victory even sweeter was that he played with an injured, bloodied toe and as he took out the stumps of Josh Hazelwood , the young 24-year-old went running around the ground with his teammates behind him, some climbing on his back in jubilation.