West Indies’ batsman Lendl Simmons says he welcomes every opportunity he gets to play club cricket in Barbados.
Last Sunday, Simmons became only the third batsman, behind Wanderers’ Mark Sealy and Carlton’s Vonrick Nurse, to score a century in the final of the Sagicor General Super Cup when he made 120 in a losing cause for TeleBarbados Carlton against new champions BNB St Catherine at Kensington Oval.
Simmons hardly had any sleep as he admitted waking up around 4 a.m. to travel to the airport to catch the first flight to Barbados after playing a Twenty20 cricket match and football the previous night in Trinidad and Tobago.
“I came in at 6:30 this morning [Sunday] and from the airport, I came straight to the ground. I was playing a Twenty20 game against a WIPA XI, which is basically a West Indies team and after we had a football game against our Strike Squad, so I played in both cricket and football.
“I was a bit tired but I came to play because I think it is a good opportunity to get a good surface and on this outfield,” he said.
Simmons struck six fours and five sixes in his 130-ball knock, helping Carlton recover from 92 for six to 230 all out, against a St Catherine attack, spearheaded by all-rounders Derick Bishop and Kenroy Williams with their contrasting left-arm and off-spin.
“The bowling was a bit competitive. I played against those guys in [West Indies] Under-19 competition and I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task and the seamers were getting the ball to move around a little bit,” Simmons said.
“But it was a typical final coming right down to the wire. The St Catherine team really put up a fight and overhauled our total. Credit must go to them for playing so well and congratulations to them,” he said.
Simmons said playing cricket all through the year in different conditions could only improve his batting.
Simmons, who will next represent Trinidad and Tobago in the Champions League before joining the West Indies team on the tour of Bangladesh, said he is keen to establish himself in the Test arena.
“We both know that Test cricket and One Day cricket, where you can attack the bowling is different. In Test cricket, you have to be more patient. I think as time goes along, you learn that. From the experience I had playing against Pakistan and India, I know that I need to get a little more patience and settle down and spend some more time at the crease,” he said.
Simmons said he is looking forward to coming back to play in the BCA’s Twenty20 club competition.
“Certainly, wherever there is cricket, I would like to be part of it and when Carlton has a game, I will be here,” he said.
