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The powerful six-footer is in his second season in the blue and gold jersey and believes he has what it takes to be the impact player the Bajans are desperately looking for. Brathwaite, 23, is willing to bat at any number in the order, bowl the first or last over and throw himself around in the outfield to save every run. A bustling medium-pacer with a high action, Brathwaite performed well with the ball in the just concluded University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus T20 Festival at the 3Ws Oval here, which Barbados won. The tournament, which attracted four teams — Barbados, reigning Caribbean T20 champions Trinidad & Tobago, Combined Campuses & Colleges and a CO Williams All Stars, was used as a warm-up for the Caribbean T20 in Antigua and Barbados which started on Monday and runs until 22 January. “The preparations have been spot on,” Brathwaite said. “We have been spending a lot of time in the gym and in the nets. This is the best set-up I have seen in the Barbados team since I have been involved and once we keep our focus I believe we will have a very good chance of winning the Caribbean T20. As players, we are working really hard and everyone is supporting each other.” A virtual unknown 18 months ago, Brathwaite first played for Barbados a year ago in the Caribbean T20 and has improved in a short space of time. He was picked for the West Indies team’s tour of Asia and made his international debut in Bangladesh last October. “I think I improved a lot and gained a lot of knowledge about my game and the way the game is played at the highest level when I toured Dubai and Bangladesh with the West Indies team. I realise you have to hit your targets every ball, not just five balls out of the six … you have to do it consistently. If you miss your targets that can cost you and also cost the team in a major way. So I have been working hard at being more consistent with the ball. “Last year I was new in the Barbados team and I played a supporting kind of role. This time around, instead of playing a supporting role I am hoping to play a significant role. I’m looking to be the stand-out player to bring glory to my country and start a new kind of winning era in Barbados cricket. We have the appetite to win and to bring back glory to Barbados cricket and this is great place to start by winning the Caribbean T20 title.” Barbados play in Group B of the Caribbean T20 tournament alongside Jamaica, Combined Campuses and Colleges, Netherlands and English county team Sussex. Barbados play Netherlands at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Thursday. Group A includes Trinidad & Tobago, Windward Islands, Guyana, Leeward Islands, Canada and Windward Islands. (Source http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2012/01/11/I-ll-be-the-Barbadian-blaster/) |
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