Biggest challenge is not getting back to old habits

May 13, 2022 Sports

Beaton happy to be back

By Sean Devers

At 29, Ronsford Rodwick Beaton, who born on the Volcano hit Island of Montserrat on September 17, 1992 but moved to Guyana as a child, says he is happy to be back in the First-Class set up for the first time in six years.

Beaton watches as Junior Sinclair is about to caght after ducking into a short ball and hit on his helmet a few balls before at Providence. (Sean Devers photo)

“It’s a joyous feeling knowing that I have been selected to be back in First-Class cricket knowing it’s the closest level to Test cricket. I am very much happy to be back,” said Beaton, who came to prominence when he ended with eight wickets in five matches at the 2012 U-19 World Cup in Australia.
“Once selected in the final playing eleven…my goals are simple…to get wickets for the team to help us to come out as winners at the end of the game and the tournament.
I’m feeling pretty good with my physical condition. My body is feeling good and I been bowling long spells in the nets and games so I’m happy where I’m at physically,” continued Beaton, who along with Kemo Paul are the only Essequians to play ODIs for West Indies.
Beaton grew up in Affiance on the Essequibo Coast and went to the Abram Zuil Secondary School before attending the Guyana School of Agriculture.
He broke into the first-class ranks for Guyana in 2011, but it wasn’t until 2012-13 that he was seen as a fast bowler meant for higher honours.
He took 16 wickets in six matches in the Regional four-day competition and added seven wickets in five matches in the subsequent T20 tournament.
Beaton bowled with genuine pace against the USA Tri State team at Everest and in both innings of the second Harpy Eagles practice match at Providence when he captured 5-60 from 13 overs in the second innings.
However, when asked if he feels that he is bowling as good as in the first phase of his First-Class career, the former West Indies ‘A’ team pacer said his bowling was not as it was before. “My body has to go through a lot of changes…but I’ll get back to being the best I can be. My goals haven’t changed in turns of playing test cricket…but I’ll take things one step at a time and focus on putting in the work and the numbers,” informed Beaton, who spent his time away from cricket working as a logistics manager at MBW, an Oil and Gas company.
Beaton was suspended from bowling after being reported during an ODI against New Zealand in December 2017.
He was cleared to return to playing international cricket in August 2018, after his remodelled bowling action was assessed at Loughborough University in England on August 13, 2018, where it was revealed that the amount of elbow extension for all his deliveries was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations.
When Beaton last represented Guyana in the 2019 Regional Super50 in Trinidad his action was again reported in the game against United States but he was allowed to play the next three games.
He has worked very hard on correcting this chink in his armour and has been rewarded with a recall but the pacer provided an honest assessment of where he is presently.
“My biggest challenge would have to be me not getting back into the old habits and the pressure my body was under because it was alot of bowling and still is…because I’m not where I want to be as yet.
Yes, I am comfortable with being back bowling…but like I said I’m not where I want to be as yet bowling wise…it’s all a learning process and alot of hard work needs to be put in as well,” informed Beaton who plays for Police at the First Division level.
Beaton has 64 wickets from 33 First-Class games at an Average of 33.01 with a best of 5-43 since making his debut for Guyana against England Lions at Providence on March 11, 2011, but since March 11, 2016, when he played against the Leewards in Antigua, he not played at First-Class level.
“It’s (the three matches in T&T) very important for me because I have been away from cricket for so long…It’s like I feel that most people forget about me and what I’m capable of doing.
I have to treat these last three games as if it’s the first time I’ll be playing First-Class cricket and also the last time…put my name back out there and most of all do well…I don’t think I have anything to lose so I’ll go out and give it my all,” disclosed Beaton who has played in the CPL for Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Trinbago Knight Riders.
Beaton, a product of WICB’s High Performance centre, impressed for West Indies A during the one-day leg of the tour to Sri Lanka in November 2016 by picking up seven wickets in three games.
In February off 2017, he was selected to play for WICB XI against the visiting England side in a warm-up fixture. Three months later, he received a maiden West Indies call-up for the T20I series against Afghanistan and the same year made his ODI debut.