By Brandon Corlette
Guyana’s Shimron Hetmyer is arguably the most talked-about cricketer in recent times. From fans to cricket pundits, to past players and Journalists, Hetmyer has been a topic for discussion.
Being a Journalist, and a Berbician who played local cricket against Hetmyer, it is very pleasing for me to see the left-hander score runs and do well. Whenever I pose a question about Hetmyer in a press conference, it is based on positive reasons, and writing when he fails or succeeds is essential.
Responding to a question posted by this daily publication in relation to the Guyanese Hetmyer, on the eve of the first T20I against Australia, Pollard said: “Again fellas, in all honesty we have 18 guys on the ground. When Hetty (Hetmyer) was not playing, guys were asking his inclusion. Now he is playing, and he is trying to fulfil a role.”
“Honestly, let’s try to keep him out of the media for two to three days and let’s see if he can perform. He is a guy that is really talented and we have a lot of time for him and we want him to do well. All the time you guys put him out in the media for whatever reasons, let’s please – I am just asking and begging from that perspective, and let him play and let us see if we can reap the rewards of his talent, because he has the talent and we are willing to work. We just want him to succeed,” Pollard said.
In the three matches where Hetmyer returned to the West Indies team, he scored 57 runs in his innings with a high score of 33 against the South Africans. During the South Africa series, West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons said Hetmyer was one of the best players of spin in the team. “Hetty, I think, the situation eluded him. He started well against Shamsi and he is one of the guys that is the best player of spin in the team,” Simmons said in a virtual press conference after the third T20I.
Pollard also spoke about the out-of-form Nicholas Pooran, stating that he was still finding his way at the highest level. “Again a young individual, finding his craft, we know he is talented. In any sportsman career, you are going to go through periods like this. So, this is an opportunity for us to be there for these youngsters and give them that hug and protect them and let them come out of it in a very nice way,” Pollard said.
The West Indies Captain said that the team were willing to work with the youngsters, because it is known what these individuals can do in the future. “We are going to stick with these guys and see what can happen, We know that these guys are talented and we know that they can take West Indies cricket forward,” Pollard noted.
Australia have not played the West Indies in a 20-over match since the 2014 T20 World Cup and have not played a T20 in the Caribbean since 2012. Apart from their match at the 2019 ODI World Cup, the two teams have not met in any format since 2016. The Aussies will lock horns with the West Indians from 19:30h local time today (Friday July 9) in St Lucia.
West Indies T20 squad: Kieron Pollard (Captain); Nicholas Pooran (Vice Captain); Fabian Allen; Dwayne Bravo; Sheldon Cottrell; Fidel Edwards; Andre Fletcher; Chris Gayle; Shimron Hetmyer; Jason Holder; Akeal Hosein; Evin Lewis; Obed McCoy; Andre Russell; Lendl Simmons; Kevin Sinclair; Oshane Thomas and Hayden Walsh Jr.
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (Captain); Ashton Agar; Wes Agar; Jason Behrendorff; Alex Carey; Dan Christian; Josh Hazlewood; Moises Henriques; Mitchell Marsh; Ben McDermott; Riley Meredith; Josh Philippe; Mitchell Starc; Mitchell Swepson; Ashton Turner; Andrew Tye; Matthew Wade and Adam Zampa. Travelling reserves: Nathan Ellis and Tanveer Sangha. (GTimes)