Holder's hopes: Barbados 'fighting fit' for Busta Cup (10 January 1999)

10 January 1999

Holder's hopes: Barbados 'fighting fit' for Busta Cup

By Haydn Gill

The imminent regional cricket season presents an ideal chance for Roland Holder to force his way back into the West Indies team.

But the newly-appointed interim Barbados captain is placing more emphasis on another goal.

"My priority here is the Busta Cup. I have been selected as captain and it is important for me and for Barbados to focus on this championship," he told SUNSPORT.

"Everybody will have his individual goals but what we are hoping is that we can all come together. If you do well for Barbados,, then obviously you will have that chance of selection within the West Indies team."

The experienced Holder, a heavy scorer at regional level since his debut as a teenager in 1987, last represented the West Indies when England toured the Caribbean last season.

He was ignored for the ill-fated tour of South Africa in which the West Indies' batting has been abysmally disappointing and some observers reckon that another impressive showing this season could land him a Test place against Australia next month.

"There is always that possibility and personal pride in performance is important," Holder said ahead of Barbados' first round match against the Windward Islands starting Friday at Kensington Oval.

"I will certainly be trying to give of my best, perform at my usual standard and go forward from there."

In spite of an impressive first-class record, the 31-year-old Holder had to wait until 1997 before he played the first of his ten Tests. An aggregate of nearly 3 000 runs, 11 centuries and an average of more than 40 make him one of the most consistent batsmen in regional cricket this decade.

It is his second stint as Barbados captain. In 1992 at the age of 24, he succeeded Desmond Haynes as skipper, a position which he held for three successive seasons before his unavailability ruled him out for the 1995 championship.

"It will be a bit of a challenge. I don't want to say that it is an enormous challenge but one which every Barbadian cricketer will relish," Holder said.

This year's tournament, which will be under the sponsorship of Trinidadian soft drink manufacturing company S.M. Jaleel for the first time, will be played under a new format.

The major difference is that semifinals and final will follow the customary five preliminary matches and Holder has identified his team's objective.

"Barbados did not win the tournament last year and the group of the last four will certainly be our aim at the end of the preliminary round," he said.

"Our ultimate aim is to get into the final which allows you to vie for a position of winning the tournament

"Everybody is certainly fighting fit and ready and raring to go, just hoping to improve on their performances I would think."

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)