TEEN TALENT: Against the backdrop of several trophies he has won over the years, Kraigg Brathwaite holds the MVP award from the recent Clico International Under-15 tournament.

by HAYDN GILL

IT'S A LIVING ROOM
that spells out achievement.

In a corner is a small table adorned with a huge collection of trophies.

The space, however, isn't adequate. More silverware is stored in other rooms.

They are rewards of a phenomenal run-blitz by the world's best
15-year-old cricketer.

Kraigg Brathwaite is an amazing act, an extraordinary talent, an immensely gifted batsman with a big appetite
for runs.

In many ways, this mild-mannered youngster from Wavell Avenue, Black Rock, St Michael, is like any other teenager in Barbados.

He enjoys listening to R&B, likes surfing the Internet, won't turn down
a plate of spaghetti, and worships
at the People's Cathedral at least
twice a month.

In many other ways, however, the Combermere student has distinguished himself by doing what no one
in Barbados has done before.

For the past five years, this wonderboy has reeled off century after century after century – a remarkable
29 have come at all levels [Please see Ton Of Runs box above].

He has made runs here, there and everywhere for school, club, country and region against boys, men, locals, Caribbean nationals
and international opposition.

From the time Brathwaite came to prominence in the 2003 Herman Griffith Primary Schools' Competition with an unprecedented three successive hundreds for Erdiston, he has been a household name
in Barbados.

Over the past three weeks, he has commanded even more spotlight
with his heavy scoring for West Indies in the CLICO International Under-15 championship in which his staggering 538 runs and remarkable average
of 107.60 were by some distance better than everyone else and earned him the MVP award.

The secret to his success is simple.

"I have put in a lot of work. My concentration levels are good. I like to concentrate. If you concentrate, batting becomes easy and you get runs," he said.

"You have to make sure you get the singles and keep the ball on the ground. That is what works for me."

With that in mind, it is
no surprise that one of his idols is Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Brathwaite started the World
Under-15 Tournament with an unbeaten 122 against Malaysia and followed with subsequent scores of 65 against the Americas, 77 run out against Pakistan, five against Bangladesh, 98 against Ireland, 37 not out against Kenya, 52 against Malaysia and 82 run out against Pakistan.

It was a tournament where most of the major international teams like Australia, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, India and New Zealand didn't participate, but the standard
was still reasonable.

"With Bangladesh and Pakistan, that is what I expected. They were at a much higher level than regional Under-15, but the rest . . . . it wasn't that poor," Brathwaite said.

"I could compare it to the Under-15 domestic tournament here. I would have enjoyed playing against teams like Australia."

As the count of centuries has increased over the years, Brathwaite has recorded every single one on the computer. Whenever he scores another one, he updates the database with the score, the team it was made for, the opponents, the year it was made and any other important details.

Brathwaite was always destined to be a cricketer. Even as toddler at the age of two or three, he would be in the yard playing with his father, Arleigh. While most boys make their primary school team in Class 4, he was
in Erdiston's line-up
when he was in Class 2.

At the age of ten, Brathwaite would rub shoulders with big men, trying his hand in tapeball cricket on the Belfield hard courts, a stone's throw away from his home, but he was never once intimidated by the pace that was on offer.

That liking for fast bowling is one of the reasons why he is
an opening batsman and he has no desire to move down the order.

"I want to remain
an opener for the rest
of my life," he said.

"I don't like to see people batting before me. Sometimes they make the bowling look hard
when it is not hard. I like the new ball."

In his brief time as a cricketer, he has credited many for his development, going back to Erdiston Primary where he was under the guidance of renowned band leader Gwyneth Squires and former Barbados netballer Marion Johnson, along with National Sports Council coach
Milton Small.

As he moved to Combermere, he was under the wings of Roddy Estwick and he has also acknowledged the role of Phoenix Academy
and the Wanderers
junior programme.

After Brathwaite's amazing achievements, expectations are high. Some feel he should be immediately drafted into the senior Barbados team. Others believe he should be shipped out of the Caribbean immediately
if he is to develop
to his full potential.

Brathwaite knows that all eyes will be on him, but he is prepared to handle the pressure.

"I will say there is
a little pressure, but once
I stick to the basics, concentrate and try my best at all times, I should be good," he said.

"From here, I will go into first division. I want to score at least 500 runs. Hopefully, if I make the Barbados Under-19 team, I will try my best. I want to play for the West Indies Under-19 team, the Barbados senior team and the West Indies team.
I will take it year by year and see how things go."

For good measure, Brathwaite is also a capable athlete who was good enough to win a silver medal in the javelin at inter-school sports earlier this year.

He doesn't see himself, however, going too far in track and field, but there is some benefit
to it for him.

"I do it to represent my set and the school. I don't take it seriously, but it helps," he said.

Athletics help

"When you go to athletic training, you have to do a lot of laps, sprints and strength work. Once you are fit in cricket,
you will be on top."

For any cricketer, there is always the challenge of blending academics.

For this fourth former, who is studying maths, English, Spanish, biology, chemistry, accounts, and geography, he is coping well even though he just spent three weeks out of the classroom at the start of the new term.

"When you come home after practice, you have to make sure that you do your work," he said.

"After missing three weeks of school, I am going to lessons
every day."

At every step of the way, Kraigg's father has been there throughout his success and the senior Brathwaite has been an inspiration to his son.

"If I score a hundred, when I come home he praises me but he also tells me what I do wrong," Kraigg said.

"In terms of academics, he always tells me to make sure that I get through in my school work because you never know what can happen."

Arleigh, himself, was
a cricketer, turning out
for Spartan, Wibix and Belfield in local competitions.

What his son has achieved is a source
of pride to the elder Brathwaite.

"I am very pleased to see what he has done so far. With the amount of work he has been putting in, I am not very much surprised. I am very glad and proud to know that he has done that well at this age," Arleigh said.

"He just likes to bat and bat and bat and
to have as much opportunities to score runs and not chance his hand much. He takes his time, especially at the beginning of the innings and then
he blossoms."

haydngill@

nationnews.com