Isai Thorne’s pace impresses legendary Sir Curtly Ambrose

By Brandon Corlette

Receiving a compliment always evokes a special feeling, and to receive a compliment from a legend is beyond special. Legendary fast-bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose is impressed with the bowling of 17-year-old Guyanese quick Isai Thorne, who was the leading West Indian bowler in the recent Under-19 tour to England.
Speaking on the Mason and Guest radio programme on Tuesday, Sir Curtly Ambrose said Thorne has got some really good pace.

Explaining that he does not enjoy calling too early names of players with whom he is impressed, because youngsters may get complacent, Sir Curtly still shared this sentiment about the Guyanese Isai Thorne.
“From my experience over the years, I do not like to call names early, because sometime you call names, these youngsters will say, ‘Sir Curtly say I am good’, and they get complacent, but quite a few guys (were) impressive,” Ambrose disclosed.
Isai Thorne, a Berbician who plays cricket locally for the Rose Hall Canje Community Centre Club (RHCCCC), finished with eight wickets in the four matches he played in the six-match series. The towering right-arm quick had an impressive average of 23 and an outstanding economy rate of 5.11, including two three-wicket hauls.
Ambrose, whose career spanned from 1988 to 2000, took 405 Test wickets at 20.99, and 255 ODI wickets at an average of 24.12. The West Indies great played the role of special bowling consultant to the West Indies Youth team, and was delighted with the experience the young players gained in England.
“I thought they handled themselves very well; the whole trip was worth it. Even though we lost the series 2-4, it could have easily been 4-2, because we lost two games by one wicket. One of those games we bowled 27 wides. Even though the bowlers bowled so many wides, they kept us in the game,” he said.
“Even though we wanted to win the series, it was not always about winning; it was giving the young men experience in a different team and different conditions. What I know is that they will be much better cricketers going forward,” Ambrose said on that Mason and Guest radio programme.
Besides Thorne, the other Guyanese in the team was Matthew Nandu.
The West Indies players will be aiming to win the Under-19 World Cup that is set for play in January 2022. Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, the honourable Charles Ramson Jr, has indicated that Guyana is confident of hosting the entire tournament.
During the West Indies’ tour to England, England Under-19s won the opening match by 166 runs, before taking the second match by just one run. West Indies rebounded in the third contest to win by two wickets, before England won the fourth contest by nine wickets. West Indies again rebounded to win the fifth match by two wickets, before England secured the series’ win with a nine-wicket victory in the sixth and final contest.
The West Indies squad that toured England comprised: Ackeem Auguste (Captain), Giovonte Depeiza (Vice-Captain), Onaje Amory, Anderson Amurdan, Justin Beckford, Teddy Bishop, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, McKenny Clarke, Rivaldo Clarke, Nathan Edward, Andel Gordon, Sion Hackett, Justin Jagessar, Johann Layne, Anderson Mahase, Matthew Nandu, Isai Thorne and Vasant Singh.