Award takes Kensington by surprise

Mike Worrell's choice as Man-Of-The-Match surprised some of the few spectators at Kensington Oval yesterday, including the award winner himself.

Worrell, a former Barbados and West Indies "B" wicket-keeper, chose Barbadian fast bowler Tino Best, who took seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings, that set up Barbados' ten-wicket win against bottom-of-the-table West Indies "B".

"I was surprised. For the last couple of games, the batsmen have been getting it, and Sherwin [Campbell] made a brilliant 135. I just thought he would have got it," Best said.

"Carlton Baugh made a fighting hundred as well. That was impressive."

Best, one of the fastest and most exciting fast bowlers in the Caribbean this season, is the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 35 scalps.

With the return of Vasbert Drakes, Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore from West Indies duties, however, his place in the team for the semifinals of the International Challenge is not guaranteed.

"They are Test players. I would like to do well around them," Best said.

"I am not thinking about being dropped. I am thinking about Barbados' cricket in general. If we put out the best team out there and I'm not in it, bad luck for me."

In this match, Best was relegated to first-change, with captain Courtney Browne opting to share the new ball with Collymore and Ian Bradshaw.

"We have a semifinal and a final coming up and we need to give everybody some bowling," Browne said.

"Tino has not been doing well up front with the new ball. He has been getting most of his wickets with the old ball. Corey Collymore is just back and I thought that he came in and held his own very well."

Best echoed Browne's view about his performance with the new ball.

"In my first spell, I don't think I bowl that quick. I try to get my length," he said.

"It is when I come back for a second spell, it is when I put down everything."