Indomitable and Always Exciting, Kyle Mayers Going Strong For The West Indies!

For someone who’s soon going to turn 30, come September, Kyle Mayers isn’t really a beacon of youth in the traditional sense of the word. And yet, despite having only recently turned into an international cricketer, Kyle Mayers, it can be seen, is making the most of the chances being afforded to him by his West Indies team.

Kyle Mayers touched a sprightly new height in his exciting Windies career just week back, June 4, to be precise. For it was on the occasion of the third and the final ODI against Bangladesh that Mayers breached the three-figure-mark in 50-over cricket for the first time.

His powerful, strokeful 120 (which came off just 106 deliveries) propelled the West Indies to a promising 308 run total. In the end, it would be enough to beat the hosts Netherlands by 20 runs.

And now, a little over three weeks from his sensational Dutch hundred, Kyle Mayers has done it again, albeit in a different format and against an opponent he’s tormented previously in 2021, the year of his cricketing debut.

It was only a few hours ago that Kyle Mayers scored a bustling 146 in the 2nd- and ongoing- St Lucia Test against the touring Shakib-al-Hasan side. Once again, his powerful knock, one that featured 18 fours and 2 sixes- took his side to a 408, a score that clearly looks towering in comparison to Bangladesh’s first inning accumulation of 234.

What’s most important, however, was the fact that it was at the back of Mayer’s big-hitting knock that the Windies took a useful first inning lead of 174-run lead. That his team’s bowlers, Kemar Roach, in particular, have wreaked havoc by reducing the visitor’s to 132 for 6 in their final inning goes to show the advantageous position the West Indies find themselves in.

What might have been, if one were to question hypothetically, had Mayers’ not produced a scorching- and thus far- only his 2nd Test ton?

Perhaps a vastly under-appreciated fact of a dominant hundred is the fact that it came amid challenging situations; by the time the noted number six batsman walked out to the middle, the West Indies were 132 for 4 and clearly not out of harm’s way.

A 116-run partnership thereafter with vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood would steady the rocky Windies ship.

Therefore, should the West Indies win this Test match and seal the series 2-nil, a lot of the credit for that feat must- and unfailingly so- rest with Kyle Mayers.

What the left-hander does to this team is offer much-needed stability that a side that no longer has Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich (and with Jason Holder out resting) so desperately sought.

The West Indies, as one may have come to note, continue to persist with a slew of changes that puzzle more whilst eschewing logic so often.

This is no random speak!

Decisions such as why Chase, a wicket-taking all rounder and the one with the highest score in the disappointing 2021 Tests versus South Africa (in the Caribbean) was dropped from the Test squad is something none can fully gather.

Similarly, why Shamarh Brooks, growing gracefully as the middle order rock of ODI cricket, not picked for these Tests when he was taken to England during the 2020 Test series is poses a few questions.

Though regardless of the choppy waters of decision making amid which Kraigg Brathwaite is leading a frequently winning side, one cannot fully thank Kyle Mayers for being around.

His presence is such an confidence-lifting act for the West Indies that so often have gone on to shoot themselves in the foot, often absurdly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Take the recent three-match ODI series in Pakistan, where the visitors were in good contention to lift a win in each of the games they eventually lost.

But even there, Kyle Mayers looked in touch, even as he failed to get going; his fluent 33 in the second ODI taking the visitors to a flying start.

Moreover, Mayers, who notched up his famous St Lucia ton by lifting a delivery pitched just a touch on the legs over the square leg fence for a six, also supports his front line pacers.

His uncanny ability to take wickets when most needed, picture that impressive fifer versus the English really added to the misery of an already vanquished side.

Even in the ongoing five-dayer that seems will come to a closure on the fourth day itself, Mayers’ returns read 2 for 10 and 2 for 30.

Though most importantly, Kyle Mayers, who’s no more than 6 Test series old in the game, if you were to keep the current contests aside, is the prototype of the bold Windies cricketer albeit one who sets himself aside by taking on the challenge instead of buckling down to it.

Many would’ve already conveniently forgotten Mayers was on the job in the Mirpur ODI of 2021, with which he marked his ODI debut, one that turned an embarrassing one for the West Indies given they were bowled out for 122.

40 of those shabbily-made 122 runs came off the left-hander’s bat, that’s a third of the team’s output. Of course, he’d go on to secure a legendary start in the format considered the litmus test to gather one’s full potential by striking a courageous double hundred.

That he starred in a winning cause and even remained unbeaten would’ve compelled even the most caustic of Windies critics to experience moist eyes.

In this post Lara, Chanderpaul, and now, Samuels and Gayle era where one talent after another emerges, only to hit massive sixes before walking into oblivion, it appears that Kyle Mayers will stay on for long.

That’s what a team buzzling with talents- considering the rising Akeal Hosein, the classy Shai Hope, the elegant Brooks and the wonderful pack of pacers in Sales and Joseph- will so want.

May he and his West Indies prosper for as long as that happens!