Barbadian seamer Jason Holder has vowed to improve his game in order to retain the attention of the West Indies selectors.
The 21-year-old was called up to replace the injured Tino Best on the limited-overs leg of the West Indies tour of Bangladesh but failed to break into the final XI.
“This tour was a very good learning experience. I fully enjoyed every moment and the camaraderie in the camp was great. I’m looking to work my way fully into the West Indies team,” Holder said.
“I gained a lot of knowledge and experience while in the nets and just having discussions with my team-mates and the coaching staff.
“Obviously, there’s nothing quite like being out there and playing in the middle, but I didn’t get that opportunity in the middle, so the next best thing was to make the most of my time off the field.
“I worked really hard in the nets and tried to develop a few new skills.
“It was also good to get a first-hand look at conditions and the cricketing landscape in Bangladesh as well as get an experience of the culture of the country.”
Holder has been identified as one for the future as a member of the West Indies’ High Performance Centre. He has already played for West Indies Under-19s.
He has also played 16 first-class matches, including a handful for Barbados, but will be turning out for Combined Campuses and Colleges in the Caribbean Twenty20 after being overlooked for his national side.
This, Holder said, has motivated him even further to turn in big performances during the upcoming tournament.
“I think I have a point to prove after not being selected in the Barbados team. I wanted to play for my country first. I believe everyone dreams of playing for their country,” he pointed out.
“I’m feeling confident and want to prove my worth. I have played for CCC before and I know everyone in the team quite well. We have a good team and a good structure. We need to come together and play as a unit. Don’t be surprised if we shock a few people.”
Holder will have a long season ahead of him as the CT20 will be followed by the WICB four-day competition and Super 50 tournament, both of which bowl off in February.
“I want to make sure that I remain in the minds of the selectors and to do that I have to perform in a big way when I play in the regional tournaments next year. There’s a lot of cricket next year and there will be lots of opportunities to showcase my skills.” (CMC)
