Bradshaw's Up for it

Newly-appointed Barbados cricket captain Ian Bradshaw is happy to have a host of Test players around him.

"It has been beneficial. It's similar to if you were studying to be a doctor and you are gaining the knowledge of some experienced guys who have been in the field for a number of years, you would be happy," the 26-year-old former West Indies Under-19 skipper said.

"Naturally it has helped my frame of mind. You try to use the knowledge of those persons who would have played at the highest [level] for a period of time.

"Obviously, having done that they would have been in a better position to analyse your game, tell you what you are doing wrong and tell you how they went about doing things to prepare."

Bradshaw admitted that he was surprised to be named captain, since they were a lot of players in the squad who would have been capable of leading Barbados.

Pressure

"I feel that I've put myself under more pressure," said Bradshaw, who bowls left-arm medium-pace and is also a polished left-hand batsman.

"I don't think it's bad pressure. I've put myself under pressure to go out there and perform, because I think as captain you must go out there and perform.

"If you are captain and you are not performing you would not be able to motivate the players around you."

He said he wouldn't describe his task as daunting but challenging.

"It's a great responsibility to lead the Barbados cricket team in the regional championship.

"There's a lot at stake. We're playing for overall regional supremacy so obviously it's a great challenge."

He said it was important to have the players in a correct frame of mind to play cricket "as it should be played".

"I believe that we have to be a lot more positive and aggressive in our cricket and to concentrate on also being very consistent.

"We don't want guys performing good one session and then falling away in the second half of the game. It is important that we keep up our concentration."

The University of the West Indies accounts and economics graduate said he would like fellow players to aspire to play for the West Indies.

"I believe there is enough talent in the squad that at least six or so Bajans should be on the West Indies team."

Bradshaw said that after six first-class games for Barbados it was time he put in "a lot more solid performances".

"I don't have a five-wicket haul. I'm at a stage where, as a bowler at this level, I should be looking to have five-wicket hauls. That's one of my main objectives."

In addition, the Barbados captain said he wanted to improve his batting average and take it near 40 and to work on his overall game.

"I need to improve my concentration level and just play the cricket so I could see myself probably going on and making the West Indies `A' team."

He said the plan was not to take any team lightly, although it was hard to say which team would be the greatest challenge since the teams were evenly balanced.

"It's just a matter of basically focussing on each game and planning each game separately and not taking any team lightly.

"Our aim is to win every game-that is our game plan. If we do that we will win the championship for sure."

As captain of Wanderers, Bradshaw said he set out to win the Division 1 Championship but unfortunately the team fell away badly in the latter half of the season "and that was a personal disappointment for me".

"However, I saw areas of my batting where I had improved. I also worked in the nets on my bowling," he said.