All Eyes on Tino Best
Tino Best is aware of talk that he could be playing for the West Indies in the near future. But he is not about to be distracted. "I have a basic programme to perform for Barbados to win the Carib Beer Cup and the international series and then to go from there with my eyes set on the West Indies. But then I know how that goes. I know you have to perform to get into to the West Indies team so my first objective is to perform for Barbados," the tear away 22-year-old fast-bowler said.
His comments came as the drawn Carib Beer series game between Jamaica and Barbados at the North Stars ground in northern Barbados approached its end, with Bajan batsmen enjoying themselves against Jamaica's bowlers on a good last day pitch.
"I can't be running in and thinking about West Indies. I got to be running in thinking about getting a wicket for Barbados ... I would really feel good if I get an opportunity to play for the West Indies. But my dream was always to play for Barbados and to do well and once I do well I'll oprobably get a WI pick ..." he added.
Jamaicans who were there won't quickly forget the second afternoon of the Jamaica/Barbados Busta Cup clash at Sabina Park last year when the 5 ft 8 inch Best, bowling with extreme pace, had Jamaican batsmen hopping about in the crease. Incredibly, Best soon had the usually partisan Jamaican crowd cheering him on in sheer excitement.
Best bowled with similar pace and better control on a slow pitch at the North Stars ground here on Sunday as Jamaican batsmen battled in vain to overhaul Barbados' first innings 325.
Regrettably for those of us watching, the young pacer was pulled from the attack by the umpires for bowling two high full tosses. By then he had taken 2-22 from 10 overs.
On Monday, a confident Best -- who was part of a WI 'A' side tour of England, Ireland And Canada last year -- said he thought he had improved considerably since his exploits at Sabina Park.
"Since last year I think I have gotten at least a half a yard quicker and I think my line has improved a lot. I'm doing a lot of hard work and the coaches are working pretty hard on me as well. Certainly I have gotten stronger, so I guess I can look forward to the rest of the season ...," he said.
His opponents agreed with the Barbadian speedster. Jamaican coach, Robert Haynes, had no doubt that Best had improved since he saw him last. "For sure I have seen improvement this year. Last year I thought he bowled too short (but), this year he is pitching up the ball a lot more," Haynes said.
And while recognising the value of sheer pace, Best said control was a priority for him even as he stayed "aggressive".
"It's a mix ... I strive for pace as well but I still want to contain the batsman because if I'm not getting any wickets, I don't want them to score. I keep aggressive at the batsman. I am a bowler so I got to keep aggressive at the batsmen," he said.
He claimed to have been "a bit" surprised at being banned from bowling after his unintentional high full toss to Mario Ventura, because "I didn't think the delivery was that harmful." He contended however, that "the umpires have a job to do and I have a job to do as well ..."
And while Best looked forward to his next Carib Beer assignment in Guyana starting today, expert opinion around the North Stars ground was divided as to whether he should be "fast tracked" by regional selectors into the West Indies team.
Haynes argued that if the West Indies wanted to turn to sheer pace then they would do well to look in Best's direction.
"He has got a lot of pace and if the West Indies want to look at fastbowlers coming at batsmen, then definitely Best is a bowler like that. I still believe he has got a lot to learn. He is only a youngster. But when you have people like him, Darren Powell and Jermaine Lawson, bowling at this speed I think you probably need to give them a chance in world cricket at the highest level.
" At the highest level once you have somebody working with them, then that's how they will become good bowlers," said Haynes.
But Barbados manager, Tony Howard, a former Barbados offspinner who played a single Test for the West Indies back in 1972, doesn't think his young pacer is quite ready for the big time.
"I wouldn't (select him in the WI eleven) now. I certainly don't think he is quite ready for it. I would give him the season here then see how that goes. Maybe there is a President's Xl game (against touring teams) or something like that ... but I would give him a chance to get ready (for the big time)," Howard said.
Best had disciplinary problems last year while with the West Indies 'A' side and for Haynes, discipline was the only concern.
"I think the only thing we have to worry about with Best right now is his discipline. Once we can work on that and get him to concentrate on just cricket we definitely have a good fastbowler in the making. The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) must continue to work with him and get people to work with him, and I am pretty confident that he will come good," added Haynes.
Impressed by Best's speed and aggression against India A in the Carib Beer second round and again against Jamaica, former West Indies fastbowler, Wayne Daniel, saw the pacer as someone who should be "around the West Indies team" if not immediately selected.
"I think he is a very good prospect in the making ...," said Daniel, who was himself "fast tracked" into the West Indies team back in 1976 as a 20-year-old with raw pace. "Yesterday (Sunday) on a slow pitch he impressed with his pace and I have seen him twice this season ... he showed some aggression against India A and he took five wickets in the second innings. And against Jamaica, he bowled with a lot of aggression and pace on a slow pitch ... I would certainly have him around the team. If they have a camp again this year before the Australia series I would certainly have him in that camp ..."
Daniel suggested that against Australia, Best would struggle to find a place in a sarting XI. "We still have (Mervyn) Dillon going, (Jermaine) Lawson, and (Darren) Powell all of whom played Tests for the West Indies recently and I would think that those would be the three along with (Pedro) Collins provided he is fit ...
"I would think that those would be the four that WI would be looking to for the series against Australia. Perhaps, they will look to Best against Sri Lanka later. But in the meantime they need to have him around with a view to getting him in the mix at some stage ...," said Daniel.
Joel Garner, one of the all-time great West Indies fastbowlers and manager of the WI A team last year and until recently a regional selector, refused to be drawn, arguing that he had not yet seen enough to be convinced.
"... having pace and having talent are not enough, what we need is consistent performance ...," said Garner. Reminded that Best had done well in three games so far this season, taking 10 wickets including a five-wicket haul against India 'A', Garner said "one swallow don't make a summer. I only judge on what I see in the middle and I judge on consistent performances ..."
* SOURCE: Jamaica Observer.