Sarwan labels Roger Harper as motivator behind his success

BY AKEEM GREENE

Guyana’s son of the soil and distinguished West Indian Cricketer Ramnaresh ‘Ronnie’ Sarwan closed 13 years of international cricket on Thursday when he officially announced his retirement from international and regional cricket.

Sarwan, was speaking at a specially arranged retirement ceremony at his alma mater Stella Maris Primary where his cricketing career began around 1990. The proud Stella Maris boy rolled back the years as a school boy who wanted to play cricket. He mentioned Mr Headley who was his first unofficial coach who gave him the break to play school’s cricket.

The classy right-handed batsman, who donned the maroon colours on 87 Tests and 181 One Day Internationals (ODIs), where he averaged above 40, scoring 20 centuries in both formats combined, highlighted the pivotal role former West Indian great Roger Harper had on his career.

“The persons that moulded my technique and career was Roger Harper because being able to play in the West indies A team at age 17 and have him as a Guyanese and someone who would have played for West Indies for a long time, I think I was very fortunate in 1997 when I made my debut”, the former West Indies Captain said while speaking at his alma mater, Stella Maris Primary School.

Sarwan is the youngest West Indian player to debut in First-Class cricket at the age of 15 years when he played against Barbados in 1996 at Albion. The Wakenaam born cricketer began playing cricket at the tender age of 10 years when he played under 12 cricket for Stella Maris, explained that Harper was more than helpful in nurturing him from regional to international cricket.

“It was a smooth transition due to the fact that he was the coach during that whole period, so it was someone that I knew and someone who knows me very well inside-out and moulded me basically from when I was 17 to 23 and that technique he thought me remained with me throughout my entire career,” the 36 year-old said.

However, the all-rounder Harper, was not the only person to have instrumental impact on Sarwan’s career, as former West Indies Captain Carl Hooper, was the first person who told the player that he would play for the West Indies.

“Carl Hooper was the first person who told me that I would play international cricket when I meet him at the age of 14 at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) and from then I took cricket seriously,” the classy batsman stated.

Speaking on his overall career he said, it was not just a straight road, it had its bumps and curves but it’s been an amazing journey”.

Meanwhile, Director of Sport Christopher Jones, speaking in the presence of District Education Office of the Ministry of Education Adrian Eglin, several past teachers and administrators of the school and pupils thanked the former student for his contribution to cricket.

Jones in his address said, “A name like Ramnaresh Sarwan could never retire, maybe he could from active cricket but by virtue from what he would have done, there are perhaps thousands of Guyanese who would want to emulate him and we are sure that he won’t fade into the dark but he would continue to make an impact on the development to cricket and particularly the younger ones.”

Former head mistress of the Primary school during Ronnie’s time at the school, Natalie Arthur said that the under-12 team was started by then Prime Minister Hamilton Green. Arthur went on to say that there are budding cricketers at the school and would hope that Sarwan’s performances inspires other cricketers despite his career came to an abrupt ending.

The occasion was nostalgic with former team mate sharing some memories of school cricket while current teachers and students of the Woolford Avenue school performed dramatic and acrostic poems.

Before leaving, Sarwan donated cricket equipment to the school’s cricket team while the institution presented him with a plaque and a specially made cake showing their appreciation for his efforts.