Left-arm spinner Anthony Adams said after eight years of playing inter-county he’s ready to cement a permanent spot in the Guyana Jaguars side when opportunities knock this season.
After ending the 2017 Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Jaguars 3-Day League with 52 wickets including seven 5-wicket hauls and 262 runs including a match-winning century under his belt, the Essequibian said patience is the key factor behind his success.
“I’m a very patient person, I knew it would take hard work and dedication for me to get where I am right now. I’m still young, I have some age behind me and I have a lot of cricket to play, so there was no point in time I thought it was over for me I knew I just had to work hard and wait for the opportunity.”
Anthony Adams collects his most valuable player award from GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie at the conclusion of the franchise league
Adams, who had a taste of First Class cricket in a wicket-less outing versus the Leeward Hurricanes last season at Providence, believes his strong domestic career has played a crucial part in his now budding national calling. “I’ve been playing Inter-County for 8 years so there’s no excuse for me to come into any tournament and act nervous or act like I’ve never been there before, it’s just for me to stay positive and focused all the time.”
The Essequibo Captain has been a dominant force in the domestic scene for close to a decade and has always been knocking on the national door after excelling with every season and ending with truckloads of wickets. He credited his success to the work he has been doing to perfect his bowling as further reasons behind his attainments.
“I’ve been doing a lot of bowling specifics and spinning the ball more, fitness also is important to me so I’ve been doing a lot of fitness. It’s very easy for me because I play cricket over 300 days a year, so for me to go in the tournament (3-Day League) and do well wasn’t difficult, it’s what I’ve been doing it’s what I’m used to.”
Following some exceptional cricket in the 3-Day League, the Cinderella County side claimed their first major domestic title after Adams had practically bowled them to the number one spot, ending as the second leading wicket-taker behind Jaguars teammate Gudakesh Motie. His skills with the ball according to him, have improved due to constant work with Essequibo’s coach and former Guyana U19 player Ryan Hercules.
“I’ve played with and against Ryan over the years, we have a good relationship and we did some work a few days before the league and it paid off.” After every game we tried to reflect on what we could work on and do better in the field and what I can do to pick up wickets hand help the team win; it was good working with Ryan and hopefully the work can continue,” he said.
Although the selectors highly regard the 24 year-old as a hard-worker and one for the future, having award him with not only an Academy Contract but another call-up to the Jaguars side, Adams said he’s still on the path to perfection and is aiming to show that he can snap up wickets in regional cricket just as he’s accustomed doing domestically. “It’s very important for me because I’ve been working hard over the years and trying to be consistent. This selection is just a level up because cricket doesn’t finish here and if I want to go onto the highest level I have to do what I have been doing domestically in First Class cricket. So it’s important for me to do what has been successful for me in the past so I can be successful at this level,” Adams ended.
Guyana’s title defence bowls off today at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence when they face Jamaica Scorpions in round one of the 2017/18 Digicel Regional 4-Day tournament.
