By Charwayne Walker
Since the inaugural Regional first-class match between British Guiana and Barbados at the Garrison Savannahs in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1865, the only wicketkeepers to have 10 dismissals in a Regional first-class Match have been Courtney Browne and Keith Hibbert.
What was ironic is that the two players achieved the feat in the same match.
Browne and Hibbert achieved the feat in the Jamaica vs Barbados encounter at Sabina Park in 2004.
In Jamaica’s first innings of 205 all out, Browne had three dismissals, Brenton Parchment, Tamar Lambert and Lorenzo Ingram, all caught behind the wicket.
In Jamaica’s second innings of 204 all out, Browne added seven more dismissals, Lorenzo Ingram, David Bernard Jr., Tamar Lambert, Mario Ventura, Gareth Breese, Hibbert and Jerome Taylor were all caught behind.
When Barbados batted it was Hibbert’s turn.
He had Sherwin Campbell, Martin Nurse, Shawn Graham, and opposite number Browne all caught behind and then stumped Tino Best.
In Barbados’s second innings, Hibbert had Ryan Hinds, Pedro Collins, Browne, Ryan Nurse and Shawn Graham all caught behind.
The previous record was held by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Mike Findlay.
Findlay, a former West Indies Selectin Panel Chairman, also played for the Windward Islands and the Combined Islands.
It was for the Combined Islands at Rose Hall, Canje, Berbice Guyana, in 1974 that Findlays et the previous record of nine dismissals in a match.
In Guyana’s first innings of 271 all out the dynamic gloveman had Leonard Baichan, Romain Etwaroo, Alvin Kallicharran and Skipper Rohan Kunhai all caught behind and stumped Keith Cameron.
In Guyana’s second innings of 324 all out `Mr. Safe Hands’ had Baichan, Kallicharran and Adjodha Persaud cught behind and Romain Etwaroo stumped.
Courtney Browne’s unrelated countryman Patrick Browne had seven dismissals in an innings against the Windward Islands at Kensington Oval in 2009.
In the Windward Island’s first innings of 303 all out, Browne had Johnson Charles, Keddy Lesporis, Kevin James, Donwell Hector, Shane Shillingford, and Camilus Alexander all caught behind the stumps.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Denesh Ramdin is next also with seven dismissals in an innings.
Playing against the Combined Campuses and Colleges at St. Augustine, Port-of-Spain in 2011, Ramdin had Omar Phillips, Romel Currency, Kyle Corbin, Nkrumah Bonner, Floyd Reifer, Carlos Braithwaite and Gilford Moore all caught behind.
Jamaica wicketkeeper Alfred Binns, playing for Jamaica against British Guiana at GCC Bourda in October 1952 had six dismissals.
In British Guiana first innings of 236 all out, Binns had openers George Wight and Bruce Pairaudeau along with Ganesh Persaud caught behind and stumped Norman Wight, Skipper Berkley Gaskin and V. Rodney.
Trinidadian Ralph Legall, who also played Davis Cup Tennis for the British Caribbean Team against USA and Canada in 1954 and is one of only two people to play both test cricket and Davis Cup Tennis comes next.
Legall playing against British Guiana at the Queen’s Park Oval in February 1952, became the first gloveman to snare five dismissals in a Regional first-class innings. Legall had Glendon Gibbs, George Camacho, Clifford Mc Watt, Herbie Dyer and Norman Wight all dismissed to catches behind the wicket.
Note: Cotah Ramaswami of India, who managed the Indian Team against which Legall played his Test matches in 1953 also played Davis Cup tennis and Test cricket.
