By Ravendra Madholall
Since the age of 15, Guyanese Royston Tyclo Crandon has been a prolific scorer.
Today, the former West Indies one-day player is still very much optimistic of winning back the prestigious maroon cap after his only appearance for the team in 2009 against the mighty India at the International Cricket Council limited-over championship trophy tournament held in South Africa.
This year marks his third visit to Canada where he represented the Hawaiian Arctic Cricket Club in Toronto. His team was the eventual champion in the Scarborough Cricket Association Premier Division for the third successive year.
“The cricket here has really helped me tremendously and I [am] eagerly looking forward to make a bigger impression in 2013,” he said in an interview with Guyana Times International.
He quickly added, I love the atmosphere and the level of competition and that really gives me the optimism to represent West Indies again, not only one-day international but in Test and T20 cricket as well.”
Crandon is a regular member of the Guyana senior team in all three versions: four-day, one-day and T20. So far he has been very consistent with both bat and ball, scoring in excess of 1000 runs in the longer format with a satisfactory average of 25 from 24 matches.
In the abbreviated version, Crandon also shows great consistency with similar average from 24 games. His right-handed batting ability has made him a pivotal member for Guyana since making his debut in 2007 while his off-spin has proven to be a perfect asset as well.
Born in Rose Hall Town in Berbice, Crandon took up the game from the tender age of eight. He went on to play for Guyana at the under-15, 17 and under-19 levels. He was quickly spotted and made his senior debut in 2007 against host Windward Islands when he immediately created a huge impact with his batting as he struck a brilliant century (101) in a losing cause.
The same year in the KFC CUP, which was staged under the auspices of the West Indies Cricket Board, Crandon starred with the ball too, claiming a four-wicket haul that subsequently piloted Guyana to a superb victory.
Royston’s elder brother, Esuan Crandon, also wore the maroon colour, but for only a T20 game. Esuan was also a regular figure on the senior Guyana team until he was dropped last year. According to the young Crandon, his sibling played a big part in his cricket development.
“I must thank my brother for his part he played willingly over the years as a cricketer; he played for Guyana before me but his guidance was always fantastic and wonderful; he was a good cricketer and he coached me a lot… during my younger days, so I am very much appreciative to him,” the younger cricketer said of his brother.
He also made special mention of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sport Club in Berbice, which he said had always been very active and well-organised.
“I started to play cricket for Rose Hall when my father took me there; I was happy to join the club and I began playing at the second-division and the first-division levels on a continual basis; the club’s Chief Executive Officer Hilbert Foster is always helpful and he really supported me throughout my career; so I am grateful to my club in Guyana and also to my overseas club in Trinidad and Tobago and now in Canada,” Crandon pointed out.
His career has been decorated with a number of awards having copped the most improved player trophy in Guyana for 2007. Additionally, in 2008, he was voted as a top player at the annual Guyana Cricket Board Presentation and Awards ceremony.
