Krishmar Santokie

At the start of the second season of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) two-day semi-pro Super-Cricket League, not many persons would have bet their money on left-arm medium pacer Krishmar Santokie winning the outstanding bowler award.

A former Jamaica and West Indies youth representative, Santokie was away in England for the past five seasons playing for Farnham Royal in the Home County division one and division two leagues.

It was then expected that, in coming back to play his first full season locally, and with the availability of the Jamaica's top bowlers such as left-arm spinner Nikita Miller and leg-spinner Odean Brown, and overseas professionals Rawle Lewis and Ryan Hinds, it would take some time for the slender-built 24 year-old to find his groove.

But, lo and behold, that was not to be the case.

emerging champions

In seven rounds of matches for eventual champions Manchester Lions, Santokie grabbed 41 wickets at 7.78 runs a piece to emerge as the championships leading wicket taker, a feat that, he says, he could not achieve without the support of his teammates, father and his ambition to play cricket at the highest levels for Jamaica and the West Indies.

"It's a thrill to take the most wickets after being away for so long," said Santokie, a past student of Glenmuir High, who represented Jamaica at all youth levels.

"It's different playing here from in England. In England the wickets are much different. The ball swings a lot more, and I being a swing bowler don't really have to do a lot to get the ball to move.

"Here the wickets are flat and you have to work a lot harder. You have to use variations and bowl different ways to get wickets.

"I get most of my wickets, for example, with slower balls and deliveries that deceive batsmen, as well as bowling a negative line at times, which forces batsmen to play rash strokes," he added.

A member of the successful 2000 Calcutta World Cup West Indies Under-15 team, alongside fellow Jamaicans Xavier Marshall and all-rounder Howard Powell, Santokie was also on Jamaica's winning limited overs KFC Cup team in 2007.

continued support

But, as he himself would be quick to point out, he has never represented the country in the four-day game, something he says he would love to achieve one day with the continued support of his father.

"Being the top bowler is a big boost to my career. Before the season, a lot of people kept saying to me that playing in England was easy, which wasn't the truth.

"So I am pleased to have come home and done what I have been doing for the past five years in England, take lots of wickets," he said, while making reference to his achievements of leading wicket taker in the Home County leagues on three occasions, one of which was a record haul of 81 wickets.

"It's now for me to go to the national trials and perform, and show the selectors that I not only want to retain my spot in the limited overs team, but make the four-day team as well, which would go a long way in helping me achieve my ultimate goal, which is to represent the West Indies at the senior level."