Local boy comes good in debut (17 March 1999)

17 March 1999

Local boy comes good in debut

Melton Williams

Jamaican offspinner Nehemiah Perry, who claimed six wickets against Australia in his first Test match, has his sights firmly set on the third Test in Bridgetown, Barbados starting on March 26.

The 30-year-old Perry, who wrapped up the Australian innings by having Stuart MacGill caught at leg gully by Dave Joseph, is confident his debut performance will send a clear signal to the West Indies' selectors.

"I really bowled well but without much luck (early), but my confidence rose and it paid off in the end," Perry said. "I now hope that they (selectors) see it fit to pick me for the Barbados Test. I am not counting on anything yet, but hope that I will be given another chance to show my talent," he said.

Perry, who bagged 25 wickets in this season's Busta Cup competition, said he was confident he would have made a big impression in the match.

"Although I only had the wicket of (Mark) Waugh in the first innings, I think it would be a matter of time for more success on the Sabina Park pitch. The wicket assisted me during the Busta Cup and I thought with a little more preparation on it, things would happen," he said.

Perry claimed five for 70 off 26 overs in the second innings, while fellow Jamaican Courtney Walsh returned three for 52 off 18 overs to move closer to Indian Kapil Dev's world mark of 434 wickets. Walsh has now taken 411 wickets.

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)