Guyana Jaguars’ premier all-rounder, Raymon Reifer, says he is ready to rumble as he joins the West Indies team for its three-Test tour of England next month.
Prior to their departure tomorrow, the 29-year-old was part of the training contingent at the Kensington Oval in Barbados which turned out for the first time in over two months due to the dreaded Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Reifer, who spoke to Stabroek Sport via WhatsApp after one of his sessions said he is glad to resume training.
“Happy to be back training but obviously it is a bit different with the restrictions,” he said.
Due to COVID-19, the Cricket West Indies Advisory Committee has released a series of guidelines to be implemented for the safe return to the game. Among some of the stipulations are that coaches are required to wear gloves, training groups are restricted to a lesser number, all players to have their own balls and there must be no use of sweat or saliva to shine the ball.
The left-handed batsman posited, “Obviously it’s a bit different to what we’re accustomed to but in life things can happen and it is just about how you adapt to the situation.”
Nevertheless, Reifer, who played his only Test against New Zealand back in December 2017, expressed his happiness to be back in the Test squad and said that he has matured since.
“I think I have matured a bit more and think I understand what is required to compete at the higher level,” he said.
The Barbados Trident left-arm seamer related, “I’m in a good frame of mind going into the series to be honest.”
Of the lockdown Reifer said, “Obviously the break due to the pandemic helped me to be refreshed mentally and look at where I’m at and how I want to take my game forward.”
With much skepticism surrounding the tour including the decision by three players to decline touring England Reifer said he would try to make the best use of the opportunity.
“It a very good opportunity for me to go out there if given the opportunity to showcase my skills.”
With 175 wickets and 2885 runs under his belt at the First-Class level, Reifer admitted he “isn’t really the type of person to set limits” but professed, “Once giving the opportunity to go out there and play in this series, I just want to give it my all and be the best possible player I can be.”
West Indies will be travelling with a 14-man squad along with 11 reserves as they enter the first bio-secure international series post-COVID-19.
The team will be quarantined for 14 days before the series bowls off on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl behind closed doors.
