ROSEAU, Dominica,  CMC – West Indies off-spinner Shane Shillingford has identified the support from his teammates as one of the memorable features of his entry into international cricket.

The 27-year-old made his debut in the first Test against South Africa in Trinidad and Tobago last month, finishing the three-match series with nine wickets at an average of 57.7.

“My experience with the team is that there were a lot of butterflies all over the place,” said Shillingford who recently returned home here.

“Just before the game, a couple of the guys on the team talked to me and even when we went out there they gave me the kind of support that I needed especially from (Dwayne) Bravo and the skipper himself.

“When I really got into it was just before I bowled the first over. I took some deep breaths and I told myself that this is the moment that I have always waited for and then I composed myself.”

The Dominican right-armer earned rave reviews from pundits and formed a strong partnership with left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

He snatched four wickets in the first Test West Indies lost by 163 runs and finished with five wickets in the drawn second Test in St Kitts.

Recalling his first Test wicket, Shillingford said it was all-rounder Bravo who had predicted this milestone.

“The night before the game, Bravo and I were having a chat and he told me that my first wicket would be Graeme Smith and the he would take the catch a slip and so said, so done,” Shillingford revealed.

“That is exactly what happened so that is why I went straight to him. After my second wicket I started to grow in confidence and it all began to happen for me, since I have waited for that moment for a long time.”

He is currently training with Dominica for the upcoming Windward Islands Twenty20 tournament.