Dear Editor,
This intervention – informed by Rajiv Bisnauth’s “opinion piece” of February 5, 2017) and by Royston Alkins (Sportscope) on February 13, 2017 – is intended to support Christopher Barnwell’s selection on the Guyana National Cricket Team, together with the supporting facts and statistics being a member of the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), who experienced a tough patch in the recent WI Regional Super50 Tournament.
This unfortunate turn of events is not singular to this player alone, but it would be recognised that other accomplished cricketers have at one time or another suffered a similar setback in the loss of form, exemplified by a string of low scores and poor batting performances.
The DCC condemns in the strongest possible terms the adverse and demeaning comments and aspersions by many of Barnwell’s detractors who, with some contempt, suggest that he has not achieved much since his score of 88 runs against Jamaica, whilst ignoring his maiden Regional first class century (148) in 2015, scored together with other significant innings in the First Class Regional Tournaments, namely viz.
• 2015 – Regional first class four-day competition when Guyana won the Regional title, Barnwell was the leading all-rounder with 475 runs and 17 wickets at an overall average of 40, placing him amongst the top three all-rounders in the Region;
• In that season he got a five-wicket haul (5/37) and scored 79 runs in the same match. “What a player!!!”
• In the 2016 season, he was faced with injuries, playing five games and with his average somewhat reduced to 28;
• It is also important to note and to place on record that Barnwell received a B contract in 2015/2016 seasons, but was demoted to a C, which many thought was a harsh decision and one that was deflating. However, many should recognise that Barnwell is one of the players with exposure to leagues outside of the CPL – “therefore one should not throw away the baby with the bathwater”;
• Perhaps a team strategy missed for this year’s Regional 50-over should have considered Barnwell as an opening bowler to partner with Ronsford Beaton and even the possibility of gambling with him as an opening batsman, since our opening batsmen were having struggles with real fast bowling at the top of the order. I believe that better use could have been made of Barnwell’s talent as a bowler and as a batsman which definitely contributed to his loss of confidence. This trend is becoming a permanent fixture by team management at both franchise level (Guyana Jaguars and Guyana Amazon Warriors) and has weighed heavily against Barnwell being able to give a true account of himself.
• It is my hope that corrective measures be put in place to restore “the fate” in Barnwell as one of the better all-rounders Guyana has produced over the years and in so doing, allow him the chance to redeem himself and to wear the maroon colours again;
The DCC, in support of Barnwell, is encouraging him to return to top form and to talk with his bat and bowling efforts in his next outings for Guyana.
We, at the DCC, for our part, are confident that with studious application, dedication and solid commitment, Barnwell will eventually prevail and return to his “halcyon” days when he displayed such tremendous potential and talent to be able to catch the “nod ‘of the West Indies Selectors and be preferred for the T20 and one-day version for the West Indies team.
I personally, as President of the Demerara Cricket Club, strongly believe that the best is yet to come from this very promising and dedicated cricketer whom is still in his prime and has so much more to offer given opportunity and the right use in a team sport.
Sincerely,
Alfred Mentore
President –
Demerara Cricket
Club (DCC)
