West Indies Squad Selection - Four Bajans called (2 March 1999)

2 March 1999

West Indies Squad Selection - Four Bajans called

Philip Spooner

Young Barbadian fast bowlers Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore are among four Barbadians in the West Indies 15-man party for the opening Test against Australia starting in Trinidad on Friday.

Roland Holder and opener Sherwin Campbell have been recalled to the expanded party announced last night by chairman of selectors, Mike Findlay, in Port-of-Spain.

The biggest surprise was the selection of Phil Simmons, one of five Trinidadians named, while Jimmy Adams is back as well.

Apart from Collins and Collymore, the others gaining their first international call-ups are Lincoln Roberts, Dave Joseph and Suruj Ragoonath.

"I am the happiest man in the world right now," Collins told the DAILY NATION last night. "My dream has come true."

Collymore and Collins, who both hail from St. Peter, cited the late Keith Boyce for his influential role in their development.

"Two men I would like to thank are (Keith) Boyce and (Richard) 'Prof' Edwards who helped me along the way," Collins said. "Boyce instilled the basics and the framework, and when I moved to Wanderers, 'Prof' was really helpful."

Collymore, from Boscobel, was cool and calm about his selection.

"Boyce was a great help, a magnificent man, and my selection is a tribute to him," the former Alexandra schoolboy said. "When I was younger I used to bowl medium-pace and he told me if I wanted to play for the West Indies I had to get quicker. I did and here I am."

Collins, born August 12, 1976, is a product of Boscobel Primary and St. James Secondary.

"I got the call on Sunday night and could not believe it," the Gay's resident said. "The first person I told was my mother (Dorothy Edwards) and she was so pleased. There was lots of joys and laughter, no tears ... yet."

He said his performances on two "A" tours and 22 first-class wickets in seven matches this year would have been his ticket to selection.

Collymore, born December 21, 1977, is in his first year of senior cricket and has so far grabbed 24 wickets at 17.33 apiece.

"My aim was to do well for Barbados," he said. "Once I did well, then the West Indies selectors would take note."

Neither of the two pacers is expected to play on Friday.

Campbell, with 597 runs including two centuries (at 66.33 per innings), and Holder, 366 runs with four half-centuries (at 40.66 per innings), both missed the ill-fated tour of South Africa.

"I'm feeling confident with some runs behind me," Campbell said. "Scoring runs is a habit and I'm getting back into that good habit.

"I'm glad to be back and I'm in the right frame of mind and it's important that the team plays together on and off the field."

The 31-year-old Holder said he was glad to be part of the unit again. "We must put South Africa behind us and get focused on Australia. We must go forward, because there is a job to do."

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