KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Following on from his recent success in Tests, West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood is now looking to leave his stamp on the Caribbean Premier League when it bowls off next month.
Jermaine Blackwood.
The exciting right-handed stroke-maker carved out his maiden Test hundred against England in the first Test in Antigua last month and also played two superb innings in the third Test at Kensington Oval earlier this month, to help the Caribbean side come away with a five-wicket victory.
And with the CPL bowling off June 20, Blackwood said he was already setting his sights on more runs when he turns out for the Jamaica Tallawahs.
“It is all about transitioning from Test to Twenty20 and I am just looking forward to the challenge. For me to be an asset I just need to go out there and play my game, but I am not putting any pressure on myself,” the 23-year-old told the Jamaica Observer newspaper here.
“The team will expect me to score some runs this season because for the past two seasons I didn’t perform as well as was expected of me.
“So this season should be a good one for me because I am coming through now, so it’s just to remain positive and play my game and I know I will help the team.”
Despite his form for the Windies, Jamaican Blackwood really struggled in the CPL last season, managing a disappointing 59 runs from eight innings.
Tallawahs still crept into the semi-finals, however, before being knocked out by Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel.
Backwood said he was intent on compensating for last season’s performance.
“I did not perform close to my ability last season and I guess people are saying that; but this season I am just going to come up big and get up my strike rate. Once I get my strike rate up I know I will make an impact,” he contended.
“The plan is to make a couple big half-centuries and get my strike rate over 120 this year, and that will benefit the team also.”
This year, Blackwood joins the likes of talisman Chris Gayle, in-form all-rounder Andre Russell, and overseas players Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene and New Zealander Daniel Vettori.
And with the quality in the side, Blackwood believes the Tallawahs can dethrone reigning champions Barbados Tridents.
“I think we lost some crucial games at crucial times [last season], but this season if we win those games there is no doubt that we are going to win the title, because we have attacking players and we have players that can come in the middle and rotate the strike and get boundaries when they feel like,” he pointed out.
“So we do have a strong team and once everybody plays their role, there is no doubt that we are going to win.”
