His keen interest in the game of cricket started at the age of just three. Since then Yannic Cariah has developed a huge liking to scoring runs, taking wickets and taking catches and essentially helping whichever team he plays for, win matches. His captaincy experience has also put him at the forefront of being a leader in the field of play.
Cariah, 26, who hails from Coal Mine in Sangre Grande, recently copped the Queen's Park Cricket Club prestigious Senior Sports Personality of the Year award at the club's annual dinner and awards function on November 23.
Since 2003, when he earned the title of “Cricketer of the Year” for the North East Zone when he was voted Most Valuable Player of the KFC Under-13 Tournament and named captain of the T&T National Under-13 Cricket team for the Goodwill Tour of Barbados, where he scored his then highest score of 153 not out. He has confidently risen to new cricketing heights with many accolades coming his way.
Such accolades, performances and leadership led him to his first-class debut for T&T in February 2011, against the Windward Islands in the 2010-11 Regional Four Day Competition. In his fourth match, Cariah took a maiden first-class five-wicket haul, five for 46 against Guyana. He also recorded a five-wicket haul in the opening match of the 2012-13 Regional Super50 (a limited-overs tournament), taking five for 44 against the Windward Islands. As a batsman, his highest first-class score to date came against the Leeward Islands during the 2012-13 Regional Four Day competition, an elegant inning of 196. He was the leading run-scorer in the 2016-17 edition of the competition, with 691 runs in ten matches.
Since then Yannic has played in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for the Trinbago Knight Riders. He has played for the West Indies A team in the series against Sri Lanka and also for the West Indies B team in the recently concluded Regional 50 overs Tournament.
Columnist Nasser Khan posted to following questions to Cariah following his most recent achievement.
Q - Where were you born and where did you grow up (town or village, not specific address)?
I was born in the village of Coal Mine which is located in Sangre Grande. I still live there.
Q -Who are the people who influenced you the most, in your cricket career and in life in general?
My mother and father have influenced me the most in life. They both have shown me what true perseverance means and this lesson I have been able to use in my cricket career.
Q -At what schools/institutions did you receive your education (primary and secondary)?
I attended the Guaico Presbyterian Primary School and the El Dorado East Secondary School.
Q -When and how did you get into playing cricket?
I was always interested in cricket from a very young age but at the age of
six it began definitively when my mother enrolled me into the Chubby Cricket Clinic.
Q -What are some of the challenges you face as a cricketer?
Being consistent in the field. This is the challenge for every cricketer and it is the only challenge that I allow to affect me. Every other aspect of the game, I do not see as challenges, just a part of the game because I have loved it so much for so long.
Q -Of all your accolades, prizes and awards which do you rate as extremely special?
Scoring the most runs in the Regional 4-day competition.
Q -What cricket goals and or ambitions do you still have?
What every West Indian cricketer wishes to do, to play for the West Indies Senior team. Also, I also wish to travel and to be able to play for teams all over the world.
Q -Your favourite cricketers?
Brian Lara and Shane Warne.
Q -Describe yourself in two words one beginning with Y, the other with C, your initials.
Young, Committed.