The name Barsram Singh is a strange one in the Leewards team competing in Zone A of the Red Stripe Bowl in Jamaica.

The story of Barsram Singh is also somewhat unconventional. Singh was born in Bonasika in the Essequibo river where he also spent his formative years playing softball cricket.

After completing primary school, Singh moved to La Bonne Intention on the East Coast of Demerara where his cricketing career began to blossom.

He played for the village team and was among the top performers. As a result of his performances, the left-arm spinner, known to his Guyanese friends as Rishi Singh, was invited to play for the Everest Cricket Club in Georgetown.

He, however, only played a handful of games for the Camp road club before he moved to St Maarten eight years ago where he continued to play the game intensely.

The 27-year-old made it right to the top of the island’s cricket, becoming the captain of the national team, which took part in the Leeward Islands tournament for the first time this year.

Though they only won one match against Tortola and lost the other two, against Omari Banks’ Anguilla, and Nevis, Singh used the opportunity to make a lasting impression. In the process he became the first player from St Maarten to be selected on the Leeward Islands team.

He did not manage to break into the final eleven for the Red Stripe Bowl opening match against Trinidad and with the selected spinners bowling well, it may be a while before he gets a knock. But his useful batting capabilities should work in his favour if the selectors look to bolster the line-up.

Against Tortola, Singh slammed an unbeaten 55 and ended the tournament with an average of 95 after he made 15 not out and 25 in his next two innings.

As a bowling all-rounder, he also sent down 27 overs and pocketed four wickets which was enough to cause the Leewards selectors to include the Guyana-born player and afford him the chance to be another of the region’s trail-blazing cricketers.

Singh recalls fondly and proudly, his days of playing in Guyana against the likes of West Indies and Guyana players Neil McGarrell, Colin Stuart and Guyana and Canadian national player Nicholas DeGroot.

An innings of 79 for LBI against Better Hope stands out in his mind. Another feat of which he is proud is his 7 for 35 against Wanderers Cricket Club of Barbados when the St Maarten national team toured that island over the last Easter weekend.

On that tour, Singh also registered an unbeaten 65 against Cavaliers Sports Club.

Though cricket is not pursued in St Maarten with the same vigour as in Guyana, he is thankful to those who supported him along his recordbreaking path.

Singh hesitated not for a second in mentioning ‘Piggy’ whom he says is his biggest fan and who has supported him all throughout his cricketing career in St Maarten, where he works in promotions for a company named Necto the agent for Carib Beer and DDL rum.

He is looking forward eagerly to making his debut in the regional tournament. If both Guyana and the Leewards XI make it to the semi-finals, Singh could be going up against his countrymen.

That too would be rather strange, but for a boy born in Bonasika playing for the Leewards XI, Barsram is a no stranger to strange things. It would only be another positive step as his promising career moves forward.