Mohammed working hard for a Windies recall

Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), Jan 1 (IANS/CMC) Discarded West Indies cricketer Jason Mohammed says he has been working overtime in an effort to repeat the performance that earned him Man of the Series in the 2011 Regional Super50 tournament.

The 26-year-old Trinidadian, who also won the “Richie Richardson Trophy” for the outstanding batsman of that competition, says he is also seeking to regain his place in the West Indies cricket team.

Mohammed is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago squad preparing to defend their Caribbean Twenty20 this month as well as in the regional Super50 and four day tournaments.

“I am looking forward to the four-day and 50-over tournaments in 2013, and I am looking to repeat the kind of performances that helped me win Man of the Series in the previous Super50 tournament, or something close to that again,” said Mohammed.

“I have been putting in a lot of extra work with the coaches (David Williams and Kelvin Williams) and I have been working hard on my batting, trying to work out a few things, so I should be fine when the Caribbean T20 starts in January.”

Mohammed broke into the West Indies side with a commanding performance in the 2011 Regional Super50 scoring 227 runs in five innings at an average of 56.75, with two half-centuries and a high-score of 77 as Trinidad and Tobago finished in second, losing to Jamaica by five wickets in the final.

Mohammed played his lone ODI match in December 2011 — against India at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai — but was not recalled to the regional side in 2012.

“I was happy to be given the opportunity for one tour and playing one game, but I thought I would have gotten a call back for another tour, maybe against New Zealand or Bangladesh to put things straight and for the selectors to see what I can do, but it did not happen,” said Mohammed.

“Hopefully I can come and do a lot of good things in 2013 and be back in the West Indies team,” said the former West Indies Under-19 batsman.

Mohammed is promising to better his performance this year of 152 runs in six matches for Trinidad and Tobago in the regional first class tournament.

“I was really focusing on the four-day tournament, but I did not have the best of seasons,” said the hard-hitting middle order batsman.

“I think I finished the season well and I was in some good form leading up to the Champions League T20. I feel confident and hopeful that 2013 could be a lot better for the team and for myself.”

—IANS/CMC

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IANS 2013-01-01 15:48:19