Sports in History What if Romain Etwaroo had remained in Georgetown?

His triple century remained unchallenged after forty years…

From May 26th.

On his return home, he enjoyed his best season ever. The left-hander scored the first century in the Davson Cup, Berbice first-class cricket, and along with another talented batsman Isaac Seunarine who made 135, established a record opening-stand of 299 against No 59. The partnership surpassed the 297 opening stand made by Rose Hall Welfare Center’s Ivan Archibald and former Test player Len Baichan against Blairmont in 1969.

Etwaroo scored his second successive century (121) against Rose Hall Welfare Center and towards the end of the competition blasted a dazzling 181 against Police, which brought his aggregate at the end of the season to well over 900 runs. Etwaroo just missed out beating Leslie Amsterdam’s 1000 runs in a season. This was the first time that such a feat was ever achieved in Berbice cricket. Etwaroo, who to a large extent dominated the competition, was the only batsman to record three centuries in the season. Romain Etwaroo (167), proved to be the mainstay of the innings, and along with Gopie Beasmonie (157) featured in a grand opening-stand of 333 against Police in the final round, which beat the previous best of 297 by himself and Isaac Seunarine against No 59. Etwaroo had scored more centuries, 20 in all, than any other player in the Ancient County. He has a Shell Shield aggregate of 1,115 for an average of 39.83 with three centuries.
Etwaroo was often cast in a defensive role, because of the limitations of the Port Mourant’s batting line in the early years. The batsman with monumental concentration got the “stay in” orders from his captain as soon as he had buckled his pads on. So much criticism has been leveled against his defensive tactics that very few people outside of Berbice knew that Romain Etwaroo was one of the finest stroke-players in the Ancient County.
Romain Etwaroo and former Test batsman left-hander Leonard Baichan proved an ideal opening pair in the 1973 President’s Cup between Berbice and Demerara at Bourda when they added one hundred and over in both innings. I well remember Baichan carried his bat throughout the first innings for 216 and with Romain Etwaroo’s 81 added 185 for the opening partnership. Again, in the second innings, Baichan 102 and Etwaroo 100 put 205 for an unfinished opening stand.
In a Bristol Cup final against arch-rivals Rose Hall Welfare Center, Romain actually stayed the whole allotted 50-overs, scoring 60 runs in his team’s total of 135. He had a heavy price to pay for his “team first” attitude, and was the cornerstone on which many of Port Mourant’s innings had revolved. But Etwaroo’s greatest moment was yet to come.
In 1973, the versatile batsman who has an insatiable appetite for runs eclipsed Joe Sukwah’s pride of 234 not out, which stood for almost ten years, with a belligerent 302 against Skeldon. This made him the first and only triple centurion in Berbice. It has also made him the fourth batsman in the country to join the elite 300+ club. Those before him were Khalil Rohoman 319 (1936), Peter Bayley 322 (1942), and Robert Roopnarine 327 n.o. (1963). Then after Independence, in 1985, David Harper made a flamboyant 308. Test batsman and former West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 303 n.o. outside of Guyana at Sabina Park, Jamaica in 1996.
Etwaroo’s mom, Rachel had been a supportive fan of his throughout his cricketing career. Rachel was the sister of Berbice and West Indies icon, Rohan Kanhai, and obviously, cricket runs in the genes. However, her interest is not restricted to only her sons: Ranjie, Romain, Randolph, Reggie and Tyrone. I can’t recall a mother who constantly watches her sons play cricket at Port Mourant ground, or anywhere for that matter. Such a woman was Rachel! In her earlier days, as a sister she watched with delight at her brothers Rohan (Kanhai), Richard and Richmond. Then, as a mother, she sat on her verandah overlooking the beautiful Port Mourant ground where her five sons, Ranjie, Romain, Randolph, Reggie and Tyron thrilled the hearts of thousands of cricket fans with cricket of the highest class. She had watched many outstanding innings by both her brother, Rohan and her son, Romain, but the one which gave her the most pleasure was the triple century made by Romain against Skeldon in 1973. Romain had scored 232 at the end of the first day’s play, the highest score ever made in a day’s play in Berbice, and was a mere two runs shy from Joe Sukwah’s 234 n.o. made against Providence, ten years earlier.
The next day, in front of a capacity crowd, Romain cruised past Sukwah’s 234, and proceeded to pulverize the hapless Skeldon attack towards a triple century, being the first to do so, since cricket began in Berbice some seventy-five years ago. And to show his appreciation, Romain in reaching the magical 300-mark, looked into the direction of his cheering mom, raised his bat towards her, saying: “It’s for you, Mom!”
When asked how he felt in breaking the record and being the first batsman in the Ancient County to record a triple century, the soft spoken, then deputy headmaster of Bush Lot Secondary School, Corentyne said: “At first I couldn’t believe it, but I am happy with my performance. Dedication to the game had paid handsome dividends.” It is now thirty-four years since Romain Etwaroo had made that triple century, and so far, no other Berbice batsman had shown the desire to go after that stupendous performance. Has the Berbice appetite for runs? Better still! Are they no longer for big scores? The big question on everyone’s mind is: “Who would be the next batsman to go after Romain Etwaroo’s record, and how soon?
That Romain Etwaroo proved an astute skipper goes without saying. During his captaincy, they out-performed and outlasted their rivals to be the champion team playing “like a well-oiled machine.” Port Mourant was not without its problems. There was a time in the mid-seventies when the future of the club looked almost uncertain. Five of their best players drifted across to their traditional rivals, Albion, and while it must have been a tremendous setback, it in no way dampened their spirits. Imagine losing two of their star players, left-arm spinner, Burlin Saheed, aptly nicknamed the “little magician” and versatile all-rounder Randolph Ramnarace who were virtually irreplaceable. They were down, but not completely out, and rose like a virtuous Phoenix out of the ashes. The never-say-die Port Mourant side drew on their reserves and how well they responded to the crisis, is all, but ancient history.
In 1976, Romain led the Berbice side to victory over Demerara to regain the prestigious Jones Cup, after an absence of thirteen long years, a victory in which, Etwaroo cherished most of all and one he regards as revenge as it’s sweetest. Equally an outstanding fieldsman as he is a batsman, his dazzling speed, his spectacular catching of the ball and his accurate throw are reminiscent of Moonsammy, Amsterdam, Kanhai, Butcher, Solomon, Fredericks, Kallicharran and Sew Shivnarine.