Q&A: Lendl Simmons
interview by MICHELLE McDONALD
Lendl Simmons may have been as surprised as everyone else when he was included in the West Indies team to play against New Zealand in Antigua . Selected to bat at number 8, the 22 year old from Trinidad was left last man standing after the team's main batsmen failed to challenge the bowlers.
Two days before the West Indies was crushed by South Africa in Grenada, Simmons told CaribbeanCricket.com that playing in the 2007 World Cup was literally a dream come true for him. It all started with a shooting star..
Lendl, your first World Cup. Tell us what the experience has been like so far for you.
The first three wins was a good feeling, knowing we were coming in to the second round with the extra two points and our confidence was pretty high but after coming to play the first game in the second round and losing, I think our confidence dropped a little bit. I think the team can still do it. So far the experience has been a good one.
Did you ever think, two years ago, that you might be here right now, a part of the West Indies team in the World Cup?
I always had dreams to play World Cup and when I was 20, I was telling myself that I want to play in the World Cup. I was on the corner with the boys liming and I saw this shooting star and I made that wish that one day I must play in the World Cup in the West Indies, and that was my dream.
You went to India and Pakistan with the team. How were those two tours for you?
Well I've been to Bangladesh before and that was very testing but Pakistan was much more easier than I thought. I stayed in my room, socialized with the guys. It was a good experience; it was better than I though it would have been and I enjoyed it.
And you got a few games.
I played four one days and it was a good experience playing against the senior guys like Rana and Inzamam, a really good experience.
Were you happy with your performance in those games?
I wasn't totally satisfied, but for my first experience at that level, I thought I didn't do badly at all and I have a lot more to look forward to and I am willing to go out there and do my best.
You've got one game so far playing in Antigua against New Zealand. What was that like?
To tell you the honest truth, I batted at number 8 and I wasn't nervous at all. Going into the situation I didn't feel that nervousness as if I would have been opening. That nerves that you usually have, I didn't feel it. I was totally relaxed but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to go on and bat as long as I wanted to. It was a matter of me settling very fast and going on with the game and I tried to do it but unfortunately, ran out of partners.
At one point you were batting with Denesh Ramdin. That was reminiscent of the U-19 finals. How did that feel with both of you being in a situation again where you had to perform?
I really enjoy batting with Denesh, and Bravo, and every time we meet at the wicket, we just look at each other and laugh because we know that most of the times we meet at the wicket, we share the experiences of running between the wickets and scoring fast runs.
How would you describe the mood within the team right now?
When we won the first three games, the mood was very good and I think after coming in the second round and losing those last couple of games, the mood just died down but since we got our break and we came back, it's like a totally different feeling in the camp with everybody high spirited and especially when South Africa lost against Bangladesh gave us more hope. Everybody was talking about it and feeling motivated by that so I hope it does well for us.
That break, you would have read there was a lot of criticism that the team should not have been allowed to go home. How do you respond to that?
I think that is not true. To me, it would help the team knowing that we have all been together for a while now. Sometimes you just need to take your mind off the game a little bit and relax and see your loved ones. It works for some people; for some people it doesn't. I think the break, it did well, and since we came back it's like a whole different feeling.
How did you spend your time home?
I spent my time with my nephews and nieces and my mom, sister. I enjoyed it. It did a lot for me.
Did the Trinidadians give you a hard time when they saw you out on the streets?
Yes, that's life. The critics. Comments like "what y'all doing" "why y'all can't win". I tell them everything takes time. We mightn't be doing that good now, but we'll do good in time to come and I know that we will do the West Indies proud and when Tuesday comes, we're going to beat South Africa. [As we now know, that did not come to pass.]
A lot of the spectators think that the guys are too focussed on money and the figures that you're going to be getting hav been published in the press. So people feel that because you already have a certain amount of money assured, there is no motivation for you to perform because you know you're getting paid anyway. How do you feel about that?
To tell you the honest truth, I haven't heard anything about that at all so far. I haven't heard about the sum of money that we will be getting. To me, I'm just playing the cricket, right. I'm not studying the money right now. Nobody else tell me they getting this, X or Y, so it doesn't really matter; the money doesn't matter right now. I know the money will come after, but right now, more importantly is the game.
The experimentation that happened in Antigua where you came into the team….do you think you will get a chance to play again?
I don't know if I will get a chance to play again.
If you do?
I will make best use of it. Whatever the selectors do, I back them all the way and I hope that whatever they do, they do it for the best of the team.
There is a tour to England after the World Cup. Do you think you will be a part of that?
I don't know for sure but I would like to be a part of the team. I'm really looking forward to going to England. I've played in England a couple of times – two 'A' team tours and league cricket so I have fair experience about what the ball does in England, so I am looking forward to it.
The last time the West Indies were going to England, I spoke with Dwayne Bravo and he was also hoping to get a call up and he did. If that happens for you, what would be your feeling?
I'd be pretty delighted and I am looking to make my debut at Test cricket. I am just waiting to get that chance, to get my break, to do my best and I am looking forward to playing Test cricket and staying on the West Indies team and making myself a permanent player.
During the Carib Beer series some years ago, I did a favour for you and told you as payment you needed to go out there and score runs. Do you remember that?
Yes.
You actually did… a double century against Jamaica. That wasn't really the plan! How do you feel your first class cricket has been? How pleased have you been with your performance at the first class level?
Since then, I don't think my performance is where I would want it to be. I think my average needs to get a little higher. This year I played two or three games because of injury. I am not one to miss cricket due to injury so I am looking forward to play a full season and, being a West Indies player, looking to improve at the lower level, so when I reach to the higher level I could always improve and get better.
Your uncle is Phil Simmons and he's a coach, going to be coaching Ireland. How has he helped you as a cricketer to develop?
We talk a lot. He tells me all the different things that I need to work on. When I do get off, we have a good chat and talk about the game, about cricket, and it helps me mentally.
Do you still practise your wicket-keeping?
Off and on I do, but I concentrate more on my batting and my fielding but to me, keeping is like a natural thing for me that I have a talent in. I don't really practise it that much, but when I do, I concentrate very hard on what I have to do, and try and do it good.
Because if something, God forbid, were to happen to Denesh, wouldn't you be the reserve wicketkeeper?
Yes, but I can't concentrate on all four things at the same time – bat, bowl, keep, field.
But you don't bowl!
Yeah, I do! I bowled against Pakistan. So I can't concentrate on all four at the same time, but whenever I do, I put a lot of effort into it because some days, I will practise 'keeping, but mostly I will practise my fielding and my bowling and concentrate on my batting most of all.