He bowled like a veteran with impeccable control, forcing a mistake from Maxwell, who can rob inexperienced legs in their sleep.
In just his fifth career T20 match, Cariah took 1 for 15 from four overs, bowled 13 dot balls and conceded a boundary against the reigning world champions in their home match.
Was he surprised?
“The funny thing about it, when you work your whole life for something, the work you do, the belief goes in,” Cariah said. “I’m very confident in my ability and what I can do. What I believe in. No one can take that away from me.”
Yannic Cariah has spent his entire career hiding in plain sight. It has all been there for anyone to see, but few seem to have noticed.
However, he has not played in the CPL since 2016.
Pasha [Adam] Zampa bowling and I saw the length he was playing so I know with my style of bowling once I hit my zones it will be difficult for anyone to bowl
“This is not my fault,” Cariah said. “These are people who choose sides. I have no control over that.”
When you meet Cariah, you can see how he can be underestimated and even overlooked. He is very soft spoken. He doesn’t keep himself to jokes.
But there’s an inner confidence and belief in his ability that only begins to emerge the longer you talk to him.
It’s a belief and one that shouldn’t surprise anyone given that he learned the game by watching videos of Shane Warne and Brian Lara. But it took some time after the U-19 World Cup to find his place in domestic cricket.
“I’m a real all-rounder,” he said. “But when I started, I made my debut in Trinidad as an athlete. And then I found it difficult to maintain my place as an athlete because of the other players. So I put more emphasis on my hitting. I came back like a shot, and then, once my batting started, my bowling was always there [either] from them. I just kept getting better and better over time.”
Despite leading the emerging West Indies to their title in 2019-20, Cariah then spent two years on top of the Covid-19 pandemic without playing a single domestic match. But his confidence never faltered during that time.
“I am blessed with a gift to play cricket,” said Cariah. “I always believe I can make it to the top without giving up. Once I don’t give up. I guarantee I’ll make it.”
“You have to think a lot faster and have a lot of clarity in what you’re doing, apply your skills and be decisive in what you do,” he said. “Because if you throw a foul ball, it’s going to be taken away easily. They’re not going to miss a foul ball.”
But there were hardly any bad balls on Wednesday. He beat Maxwell and Finch four times in his first two overs. His length was immaculate, a product of his maturity and his ability to read the conditions quickly on his first outing in Australia.
“I figured out what lengths were best for me to bowl and my style of bowling and I adapted very, very quickly,” he said. “What made it even better for me is Australia bowling first. And I saw it [Adam] Zampa bowled and I saw the lengths he was playing, so I know with my style of bowling once I hit my zones it will be difficult for anyone to bowl.”
It’s the kind of attitude his hero Warne would be proud of. Cariah may not have the bluff, swagger or swagger of the late, great, but he has the same mentality.
“Whatever I do, I play to win,” Cariah said. “I don’t play to compete, I play to win.
“I’m a very quiet person. But if you get to know me, I’m very cool. I do my best in everything I do. Good things happen to me. I have a positive mindset. I’m very confident in myself .”
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
