Hetmyer: ‘2019 taught me the hardships of cricket’

By Brandon Corlette

At some point in 2019, many would have thought that Guyana and West Indies dynamic batsman Shimron Hetmyer had met his downfall.

He had experienced an extended rough patch for most of 2019, but he proved his class by bouncing back when it mattered most.
In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport done at his home in Cumberland, East Canje Berbice, the talented Hetmyer reflected on his year, and peeked into the upcoming 2020 cricket season, wherein he would be placing great emphasis on scoring consistently.
In 2019, Hetmyer scored 658 runs in 23 One Day International (ODI) matches, scoring at an average of 38.70. Those runs included two centuries and two half-centuries. He scored 244 Test runs in six matches at an average of 24.40, with one half-century. He scored 224 CPL runs at an average of 20.36, with one half-century. In five IPL matches, he scored 90 runs and had a high score of 75, averaging only 18.

Describing his performance in 2019 as inconsistent, the 23-year-old Hetmyer declared: “Well, for me, 2019 wasn’t the best of years. Starting the year with a hundred, and then not having the best time after that, then finishing with a hundred at the end. This year really helped me, as a person and a cricketer, to learn about the hardships of the game; but I am looking forward to 2020.”
Asked if he was worried at not getting selected/bought in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and earlier being released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Hetmyer said he was not thinking about getting an IPL contract, but is happy for the 2020 selection by the Delhi Capitals.

“During the India T20I series, there were chats about it in the camp: who was going to be retained and stuff like that, but I wasn’t really thinking about it too much. We (West Indies) stuck to our plans as a team going to India (to do) a job, and we were thinking about winning the series in India. But if an IPL contract comes your way, you will take it from there.
“But I am glad that I got the contract, and I am playing for a new team,” the left-hander disclosed.
Having bagged in excess of one million US dollars at the recently held IPL auction, Hetmyer expressed his excitement at having to wear the blue armory of the Delhi Capitals.

“I am very excited, knowing that we are a young team. It’s like the same for Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW), having that bit of experience as well and (being comprised of) a majority of youngsters. With the youths in Capitals, there is also experience, because most of the guys played international cricket, and also there is Keemo Paul.
“There are guys from all over the world, and I can’t wait to actually get in camp and get to know the guys,” Hetmyer noted.
In a matter of days, Hetmyer will turn out for the men in maroon to take on Ireland in four ODIs and three T20I between January 7 and January 19. The compact left-handed batsman told this daily publication that he is eager to start the year with a bang for West Indies.
“It’s always nice to start well, and I am thinking about it as much as possible. (I want) to get my head around and start even better than 2019,” Hetmyer explained. He added that he would be aiming to register some consistent performances in the upcoming series.
“I have been working on it, despite I had some good performances in the past, but I haven’t really backed it up with back-to-back performances, or throughout an entire series getting big scores. I am looking forward for this consistency, and hopefully get my team across the line,” he explained.
Will the year 2020 be a challenging one for this potentially excellent cricketer, or will it bring for this Guyanese more success, his maiden Test century, and more runs? Only time will tell.