Depeiza stars in BCA Elite division Championship

Despite a decline in form with the bat towards the end of the season, Giovonte Depeiza of Superb Blend Gladiola was unquestionably the star all-rounder in 2024 BCA Elite division three-day Championship.

Depeiza, a former West Indies Under-19 team player who celebrated his 22nd birthday on January 26, amassed 549 runs including a maiden century and four half-centuries, at an average of 34.31.

He was the only player in the 500-run club in the 10-team competition although his last six innings produced only 29 runs.

A right-hand batsman and left-arm orthodox spin bowler, Depeiza showed his versatility by grabbing 38 wickets – the second most – from 175 overs including 20 maidens at 15.28 runs each.

Depeiza’s century (107) was against ESA Field Pickwick on home turf at Rices on the opening day of Series 6 in what was a fine all-round showing as he scored 50 in the second innings, along with figures of five for 50 off 25 overs in the first innings.

In Series 2 against IGS Insurance Brokers Yorkshire at Rices, Depeiza boasted of match figures of 13 for 78 off 24 overs including a career-best eight for 37 off 12.4 overs in the first innings.

Depeiza reflected on his outstanding season.

“I’m very proud of myself for the most part of it. The ending of the season wasn’t the best but I’ll see that as a learning curve, setting goals and working towards them, only studying what I can control as a player,” he told this columnist from Trinidad where he is currently representing Marchin Patriot Sports Club in the Premiership 1.

Depeiza lives at Harrison Tenantry, Crab Hill in the northern parish of St. Lucy and some fans have wondered why he opted to represent Gladiola, a club based in the south-eastern parish of St. Philip. But the long distance is not an issue for him.

“If every game was playing at Gladiola, I honestly would cry out that it is far but the environment and how the boys go about the game, I saw it as an opportunity for me to fit in easily and play my role and learn off the other players who played at the highest level. This is three years going and I have enjoyed every single year with the club,” he said.

The top wicket-taker was off-spinner Ian Boyce of new champions Wanderers with 39 scalps (Ave: 20.05) from 199.1 overs.

Leading batsmen (in order of runs: Qualifications: 100 runs, Ave: 20.00) – Giovonte Depeiza (Gladiola) 549 (Ave: 34.31); Raymond Kellman (YMPC) 471 (Ave: 33.64); Jonathan Drakes (Wanderers) 445 (Ave: 40.45); Rashawn Worrell (Gladiola) 419 (Ave: 27.93); Jared Lovell (Wanderers) 403 (Ave: 44.77); Shakeel Richards (Yorkshire) 394 (Ave: 30.30); Seth Agard (Wanderers) 393 (Ave: 30.23); Shian Brathwaite (Empire) 392 (Ave: 65.33); Kyle Corbin (UWI) 378 (Ave: 47.25); Akeem Springer (Spartan) 349 (Ave: 24.92); Nimar Bolden (Wildey) 347 (Ave: 49.57); Shaqkere Parris (UWI) 346 (Ave: 43.25); Shamar Forde (Pickwick) 324 (Ave: 27.00); Akil Greenidge (Spartan) 318 (Ave: 24.46); Shayne Moseley (Wanderers) 311 (Ave: 38.87); Marrodon Bend (Spartan) 310 (Ave: 34.44); Demario Richards (UWI) 307 (Ave: 27.90); Kevin Wickham (Empire) 306 (Ave: 61.20); Indal Persaud (Yorkshire) 302 (Ave: 27.45); Yvan Grant (Pickwick) 302 (Ave: 23.23); Craig St. Hill (Wildey) 300 (Ave: 60.00); Craig Holder (Pickwick) 300 (Ave: 33.33); Mikhail Austin (Spartan) 298 (Ave: 24.83); Athelbert Brathwaite (Yorkshire) 294 (Ave: 29.40); Jai Clarke (YMPC) 293 (Ave: 20.92); Micah Greenidge (BCA Youth & Wildey) 293 (Ave: 24.41); Kemar Smith (YMPC) 289 (Ave: 26.27); Micaiah Simmons (Pickwick) 289 (Ave: 22.23); Rohan Ryan (Pickwick) 288 (Ave: 28.80); Shaquille Cumberbatch (Empire) 281 (Ave: 56.20); Armani Best (Yorkshire) 270 (Ave: 24.54); Demetrius Richards (Wildey) 268 (Ave: 33.50); Shem Watson (Yorkshire) 262 (Ave: 21.83); Zion Brathwaite (BCA Youth) 252 (Ave: 25.20); Kraigg Brathwaite (Wanderers) 243 (Ave: 60.75); Joshua Drakes (Spartan) 237 (Ave: 21.54); Hakeem Perryman (Empire) 229 (Ave: 20.81); Kyle Hope (Pickwick) 228 (Ave: 76.00); Dwayne Smith (YMPC) 221 (Ave: 55.25); Joshua Morris (Wanderers) 215 (Ave: 23.88); Joshua Haynes (Empire) 209 (Ave: 20.90); Ian Boyce (Wanderers) 197 (Ave: 24.62); Shavon Brooks (Spartan) 189 (Ave 23.62); Jerome Jones (Wildey) 149 (Ave: 24.83); Romario Greaves (UWI) 146 (Ave: 20.85); Jourdan Niles (Wanderers) 146 (Ave: 20.85); Amari Goodridge (UWI) 180 (Ave: 25.71); Shaquan Cave (UWI) 142 (Ave: 35.50); Shane Parris (Wildey) 138 (Ave: 46.00); Nathan Sealy (Empire) 123 (Ave: 24.60); Jaden Norville (YMPC) 118 (Ave: 29.50); Carlos Maynard (Wildey) 117 (Ave: 29.25); Raphael Lovell (BCA Youth) 115 (Ave: 38.33); Ramearo Samuel (Gladiola) 102 (Ave: 51.00); Rivaldo Clarke (Gladiola) 102 (Ave: 25.50); Shamari Gittens (Gladiola) 102 (Ave: 25.50).

Leading bowlers (in order of wickets): Qualifications: 12 wickets) – Ian Boyce (Wanderers) 39 (Ave: 20.05); Giovonte Depeiza (Gladiola) 38 (Ave: 15.28); Jomel Warrican (Empire) 34 (Ave: 9.20); Jerome Jones (Wildey) 32 (Ave: 11.56); Rasheed Edwin (Pickwick) 31 (Ave: 15.09); Andre Marshall (Spartan) 30 (Ave: 16.56); Matthew Jones (Gladiola) 30 (Ave: 17.73); Steve Pinder (Yorkshire) 30 (Ave: 23.20); Deswin Currency (Wildey) 28 (Ave: 13.96); Damian Davis (YMPC) 27 (Ave: 20.66); Rondre Yearwood (Pickwick) 24 (Ave: 20.50); Jourdan Niles (Wanderers) 24 (Ave: 23.33); Romario Greaves (UWI) 23 (Ave: 13.34); Indal Persaud (Yorkshire) 22 (Ave: 24.72); Kemar Smith (YMPC) 21 (Ave: 20.38); Tariq O’Neale (Wildey) 21 (Ave: 20.95);  Shavon Brooks (Spartan) 20 (Ave: 22.65); Ravendra Persaud (Yorkshire) 20 (Ave: 24.55); Shamar Marshall (YMPC) 19 (Ave: 19.10); Jatario Prescod (Pickwick) 18 (Ave: 21.44); Javed Leacock (UWI) 18 (Ave: 22.22); Steffaun Griffith (Gladiola) 17 (Ave: 18.52); Kyron King (Wanderers) 17 (Ave: 32.47); Preston Clarke (Pickwick) 16 (Ave: 20.37); Jair McAllister (Wanderers) 15 (Ave: 20.73); Chaim Holder (Spartan) 15 (Ave: 22.86); Isaiah Folkes (Wanderers) 15 (Ave: 26.13); Jofra Archer (Wildey) 14 (Ave: 4.92); Zishan Motara (Wildey) 14 (Ave: 13.21); Damario Goodman (Spartan) 14 (Ave: 17.57); Xaundre Baptiste (BCA Youth) 14 (Ave: 20.57); Kevin Wickham (Empire) 13 (Ave: 8.84); Seth Agard (Wanderers) 13 (Ave: 16.38); Zion Brathwaite (BCA Youth) 13 (Ave: 22.38); Kobe Williams (Empire) 12 (Ave: 16.75); Romario Parris (Yorkshire) 12 (Ave: 29.44).

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for over four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org). Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com