Carlton Baugh Jr. Unplugged
Wed, Apr 13, '05
Courtney Browne's glovework in the first two Test matches against South Africa was hardly convincing, prompting many to question the West Indies selectors' decision to go back to a 34-year-old wicket-keeper who had last played in 2001, instead of sticking with Carlton Baugh Jr.
The Jamaican wicket keeper was given the nod to debut in the absence of an injured Ridley Jacobs in the second home Test in 2003 against Australia, this coming after his even hundred against them playing for a Carib Beer XI team. Baugh toured South Africa later that year and England in 2004, where he played in two Tests in place of an injured Jacobs.
We never know what is in the selectors' minds; neither does Carlton Baugh Jr. What he does know is that he is continuing to work hard at his game, with both bat and glove, while playing the waiting game.
CaribbeanCricket.com caught up with Baugh during the finals of the Carib Beer series, where he finished up another good first-class season with 589 runs, including two centuries, and a healthy average of 42.07. His 22 dismissals included 5 stumpings (the most this season), indicating his quick reflexes and incredible fitness levels.
You'll be surprised at what he started out doing in cricket. Hint: it wasn't as a 'keeper.
What's the story behind your socks, which are always drawn high up to your knees ? la footballer's style? Did you play football at all?
When I was attending prep school I played a little, but the reason for me wearing my socks that high is that the sun is very hot! The second reason is that I don't like wearing shorts because the sun is hot. The only time I wear shorts is at the beach.
How did you first get into playing cricket?
I started out at the club level ? Melbourne Cricket Club ? at the age of nine and from there on started playing. I was introduced to it by my Dad because he played for Jamaica on the senior team and at the youth level. Even though I've never seen him play, it's some form of inspiration for me moving on to play cricket.
How did the club assist in preparing you to be a national and West Indies player?
I think it's more like the people at the club, the sort of encouragement that I get from, to name a few, Donald McNaughton and Robert Samuels. There are other people, but those people are mainly the ones, especially Donald McNaughton. He was the one who helped me to develop in the sport.
I know that some of the clubs do provide financial support to schoolboys who want to play cricket and may not have the means to get the gears. Was that a part of the support?
Not really. The support that I got was from older players like Robert Samuels. My dad would buy me gears and equipment, so that is mainly how I got supported.
Wolmers, where you attended high school, has strong tradition of churning out wicketkeepers ? Alexander, Hendriks, Dujon and now you. How did that history influence your deciding to concentrate on this area?
To be truthful, when I was at school, I wasn't wicket-keeping. I was a bowler at school.
Bowler? [expressing shock] What kind of bowler?
I bowled a bit of medium pace and a bit of leg spin, but in the later part I kept in one and two games and from there on I started getting serious at 'keeping.
What was the experience like when you first represented Jamaica?
I represented Jamaica at three levels ? U-15, U-19 and now the senior team. It was a good experience for me, based on knowing that I'm playing at a tender age for my country and I always want to do well. I just like the sport. It's an exciting sport; it depends on how you play it.
At what age did you decide that this could possibly be a career for you?
When I started out playing U-15 at the age of 14, from there on then I had a few role models and I aimed myself after them and tried to move on, and tried, not to be like them but to be as good as them, and I just moved on from the encouragement that I got from other people outside of cricket.
Who were those role models?
To name a few - Brian Lara, Jeffrey Dujon and Courtney Walsh.
In 2001 you played one match for Jamaica in the Busta Cup competition, but not as the wicket keeper and you just said that you didn't start out as a wicket keeper. Do you consider yourself a batsman who can 'keep, or a 'keeper who can bat?
I think I'm equally good as a batter and a wicket keeper. Every game I play, I try to improve in both aspects and try to improve my techniques.
After playing only two games in the 2002 season, you were again selected for the West Indies 'B' team in 2003, after Jamaica chose Keith Hibbert to continue as their preferred 'keeper. Talk about that 2003 season. What were some of the highlights?
First the 2002 season, I played two games for the West Indies 'B' team in the Busta Cup. I got injured, got my collar bone cracked and it kind of set me back a bit. In the 2003 season, I went there and was very determined to score runs and do well when I was 'keeping, and once I started out scoring back-to-back half centuries against Trinidad, from then I start to have a positive to score runs. You were playing against quality people like Ramnarine, Marlon Black, you know. I mean to score runs against Test players of that calibre, it was good for me knowing that if I can score runs against those people I definitely can score it against anybody.
Well after that the performance for the WI 'B' team you won a place on the Carib Beer XI that faced the mighty Australians in Guyana and made a century. As you played your shots against Gillespie, Bichel and MacGill, were you thinking "why everybody fraid ah dem so"?
Well MacGill, Gillespie, Bichel, they're good enough bowlers, I mean they've been playing Test cricket longer than I've been playing. I think one of the main reasons for me was I was selected before the Test match was to be played and I thought that if I can score a century, it didn't really matter who was bowling at the time. I was in a form that anybody would love to be in and it continued over in that game. It was a good one for me and I enjoyed it very much.
An injury to Ridley Jacobs resulted in your debut in the second Test in Port of Spain. What was the atmosphere and environment in the team like when you joined them?
I think it was very good. Everybody made me feel welcomed. That was a plus for me. I was new to the system and a bit nervous at times but as I got to play more and more it automatically got a little bit easier.
But Test cricket is never easy and you can't be relaxed while playing, so I tried to maintain a good performance. Well I tried to perform but it didn't work as well as I would have liked it to. It was a fight for me and something that I see myself doing, and even doing it better in the near future.
The ball-by-ball commentary of that match describes you as having a wild go at the first delivery from Brad Hogg. You were out caught for just 1. It is felt that perhaps your match awareness is not as good as it should be. How difficult do you find it to adjust your batting according to the state of the innings?
Well first, as a youngster coming into the team, I would say immature at the time, probably a little bit of rush of blood. I think now comparing to then, I'm more mature right now and looking to do the right stuff, being positive, thinking the right way, try to encourage myself to do the right things at the right time. Things like that I've been working on.
In the second innings of the last Test match against England at the Oval when we were following on, you tried some inventive strokes usually seen in the one day format of the game. Which form of the game suits your batting style more do you think?
Well I think I am capable of matching up to both forms of the game. If I am playing Test cricket, if guys are bowling in the area that I can score my runs, then I'll do just so, but I won't be just going there creating shots anymore. I see myself as a positive person, I try to be as positive as I can be and try to score my runs very freely.
You were the second string 'keeper to Ridley Jacobs on that tour. How did he help to develop you?
Ridley has taught me a whole lot, not just the mental part of it but he has helped me in a few ways to develop my glove work and also a little on my batting. When practice sessions would be finished, me and Ridley would be one side working on a few things like catching with soft hands and things like that.
What's 'catching with soft hands'?
Don't let the ball hit your hands very hard. You reach out to it and pull it in, sort of meet it half way.
Ridley went to bat for you during a radio interview in this match [Carib Beer Challenge Finals], where he questioned the decision by the selectors to go back to an 'aging' Courtney Browne. What's your reaction to the selectors' decision?
As much as I would like to say, I think for me I just keep on playing cricket and just enjoying myself and whenever it comes, it comes and I'm definitely working at it, and hopefully by now and when the [home] Test series is over, I definitely think I will be in the eyes of people who I think definitely would want to see me be playing. If the opportunity comes, I definitely will grab it this time around and I'll be in the nets working and definitely looking to get back.
What do you think should be the criterion used to pick a 'keeper? Batting or wicket keeping ability?
I think the criteria should be both aspects of the wicket keeper. I mean if you are going to play as a wicket keeper you definitely should be able to bat, not just to bat but to score runs. If you're going to be a wicket keeper, your glove work should be very tidy, taking all the dismissals that come your way.
It is said that you have difficulty with balls down the leg side. How seriously do you look to improve your weaknesses where wicket keeping is concerned?
I have been working at my weaknesses and also my strengths, but more so on my weaknesses. Before the 2005 Carib Beer series I was in the nets a whole lot, not just working on my batting but also my wicket keeping. I've seen where I have been improving as the games went on. Definitely now I have sorted out my problems and I know how to adjust and things like that I have been working on in the nets.
Anybody special that you have called upon to help you with the wicket keeping aspect of your game?
In the early stages, I had done some work with Andre Coley who is a Jamaica coach [and former Jamaica wicket keeper] and I have spoken with Mr Jeffrey Dujon, but more so Andre Coley, he has helped me throughout the Jamaica training programme and I should say I have learnt to do the right things as a wicket keeper.
Jeffrey Dujon is now the Coaching Manager for Jamaica. Does that give you an opportunity to actually work with him rather than just talking with him?
I think the opportunity is there for me to work with Jeffrey, but I think the majority of the times Jeffrey is not on the island but I try to keep in contact with him as much as I can and whenever he has the time to offer, I know he definitely will and I'm just waiting after the season, and if he is here I will work with him.
The competition now seems to be among you, Browne and even Dinesh Ramdin for the 'keeper's spot. What do you think you must do to win out in the near future?
For me to win out in the near future, I think runs will definitely count, I think that's one positive I definitely have and another is to be mentally, not just physically fit, but mentally fit. But mostly the batting; scoring runs will definitely be the way. I have been working on my wicket keeping and I know taking the dismissals will be very important, but as a wicket keeper, if the team is in trouble, when it gets to me I should be able to dig them out of the hole.
You have a first-lass batting average in the 40's, but an average in the teens in the international matches. Why do you think there is that disparity?
I think it's because I've been playing first-class cricket more consistently than Test cricket. I have got acclimatised with the first-class level now and if I was playing Test cricket consistently, I'm not sure that I would have a 40 average but I would definitely be close to a 40 average because the more you play, I wouldn't say the easier it becomes but the more you get used to it.
If I was playing consistently then I definitely know that I would be very close to a 40 average.
But the ideal thing is for you to be able to perform the moment you get to the Test stage, so how do you think the WICB can help the transition from first-class level to international arena so that by the time you get there, you're ready?
I think one of the reasons for that is cricket on a whole is never easy and the more cricket I play, the more first-class games I play and the more I improve at playing with the bat and with the glove, I think it would be a plus for me to move on to the next level, and I think just being there, being amongst great players I think that would help me even more to perform, to watch and learn a few things from the great people that play the game and take a few notes from them and try to help myself.
There is the thinking that we need more 'A' Team tours..
I've never played 'A' Team cricket but I think it would help in a way that people get to learn about different cultures, having different pitches to play against different people and the experience would develop you in a shorter time because the more you play the easier or the more relaxed you get. I think an 'A' team tour is a very important tour for young people to try to move on to the next level which is Test cricket.
There is one coming up this year to Sri Lanka. You would hope to be on that?
Right now I am looking forward to getting back into the Test team but if it doesn't happen then definitely I would grab it with both hands, try to be a top player in that team, and try to get back where I think I belong or where I should say that I belong. I think that would be a booster for me, to go there and score runs and to keep well.
During your international career thus far, you haven't been on a winning team. How different is that feeling, compared with the current situation where Jamaica won the double?
What I can say is when you start on top, things tend to go your way especially when you're playing good cricket. I think at the Test level, I think yeah, we play good cricket but it's not good enough because we are not winning but there are always some positives that we can take out of the Test cricket that we can carry over to other games.
For first-class cricket, I think we can bounce back at any time, more so that you are not playing against a McGrath or a Gillespie or Brett Lee, people with more experience than ourselves. We are playing with people of our own calibre and I think that what we have over them is that we are young but we are experienced and we want to win and that's what we go out there to do every day.
We practise the right cricket things in the training sessions and we try to bring it forward in the games. I think one of the positives in the Jamaica team is playing together, the togetherness is there, everybody blends in well and I think we have been just playing good cricket.
For the first time, Jamaica employed a Sports Psychologist. How has she helped your game?
Well for me, I wouldn't say she has played much part for me. I think I had my mindset and I had spoken to ex-players who want to see me move on and I think on the mental side, they helped me to stick it out and to set goals. I am not saying that she didn't play an important role, I think she does but probably it doesn't work for me, but it worked for other people in the team and I think for us to have the first psychologist I think it's a good move for cricket on a whole because cricket is not just bat and ball. I think it's 90% mental and the skill comes in after.
Do you think such a person is required for the West Indies team?
At this stage I think we need all the help we can get in the West Indies team. I think every help we get we should take and a person like a psychologist, I don't think it would be a negative. I think it would definitely be a positive because the person can help you to relax more and help you to achieve certain things you set out for.
What do you see in your future where cricket is concerned?
I see myself moving on in Test cricket very shortly and from there on I think I will develop the skill to become a good or great player. I'm just 23 in a few months time and I am definitely trying to get as much experience I can get at a tender age so when I become 26, 27, I definitely will know what it's like to do the stuff that the great players, the Brian Laras, the Jeffrey Dujons, the Courtney Walshs have done in their past and try to move on and take it from there.
Have you ever played in the leagues in England?
No I've never played league cricket, but I've played in England.
Is that something that you would want to do? A number of players from the Jamaica team normally go up.
I wouldn't say I wouldn't want to, or I would want to but I think that the level I would want to play, if the opportunity comes by, I would definitely take it and try to improve my game at English conditions. If I can master the English conditions as a wicket keeper, not just as a batsman, then I think my cricket can be going in better places.
But it's not something that you're pursuing.
No, it's not something that I'm pursuing. I think West Indies needs me, or I need West Indies so I would rather stay here to play for the West Indies, but if the opportunity comes along it's something I would have to look at, like the standard of the club.
WICB and WIPA have been negotiating over retainer contracts. I imagine you would hope to be one of those players that they would contract.
Definitely I would want to be one of those players. If I don't want to be one of those players it doesn't make sense I'm here playing so I'm looking forward to whatever opportunity comes by so whenever it comes, I will take it very slow.
Is there anything you want to say to West Indies fans about Carlton Baugh Jr?
Keep cheering. I will try to make cricket exciting and whenever I get my chance to bat, you'll definitely love it and whenever I get my chance to 'keep I'll try to do my best, take all the dismissals that come along.
More so in my batting, I will enliven the crowd.