CricInfo Home
News Home

NEWS FOCUS
Rsa in Pak
NZ in India
Zim in Aus

Domestic
Other Series

One is a sweet-stroking batsman who, up until this season, had achieved the majority of his recognition in the obscurity of the lower divisions.

The other is an exciting fast bowler who had already played on the international stage, having represented the West Indies Under-19 at the Youth World Cup in Sri Lanka earlier this year.

The opposites end there. Barbados’ two newcomers for the Red Stripe Bowl, Dale Richards, 24, and Callitos Lopez, 19, share so many other similarities.

They were born, raised and schooled in rural districts.

Richards, from Shorey Village, St. Andrew, attended Grantley Adams Memorial in the neighbouring parish of St. Jospeh, while Lopez, who hails from Boscobelle, St. Peter, is a product of the Alleyne School in St. Andrew.

They joined Carlton club for the first time this season and immediately settled into the Black Rock set-up by producing outstanding performances in the early part of the season.

It earned them satisfactory first-class debuts for Barbados against South Africa "A" six weeks ago.

Richards fashioned an impressive half-century and Lopez collected a five-wicket haul. None, therefore, was surprised that they were among the 14 for the regional limited-overs tournament starting Wednesday.

The experience of the South Africa "A" four-day match prepared them well for what lies ahead in the next two weeks.

"Playing against the South African side was very competitive. You had to put in a lot of hard work," Richards said. "It was not easy. Those guys are a step from playing at the highest level.

He believed he was ready for the occasion due largely to the help of his club coaches, Chris King and Dale Ellcock.

Lopez immediately recognised the vast difference between a club match and a first-class contest.

"In first division it is just talent, but at the higher level, it is more mind than talent," he said. "You have to assess things early and see how best you can accomplish your goal. Mr. (Tony) Howard (the manager) sat down and talked to me and told me to visualise what I wanted to do before I actually did it. I did that and it worked for me.

Simple goals

"That game was competitive for me and thinking was the key to success."

Both Richards and Lopez have set themselves simple but realistic goals for the upcoming tournament in which Barbados will be based in Jamaica.

"If selected in the final 11, my goal is to perform to the best of my ability, to be outstanding and to do well for this country," Lopez said. Richards’ tune was the same.

"I am looking forward to representing my country to the best of my ability and hope that we can bring home the Red Stripe Bowl for Barbados."

But just how did these two country boys find themselves at the Black Rock, St. Michael-based club?

"I had no plans of coming to Carlton after I played for Schools North last year," Lopez said. "I intended to go back to school again, but it did not work out."

It was then that he was approached by new Carlton manager Adrian"Smiley" Bailey.

In the case of Richards, here was someone who was playing in the Intermediate division for Conrad Hunte Sports Club.

Stroke-filled centuries in the semifinal and final of the Barbados Fire & Commercial Cup competition gained him immediate national attention and he felt the time had come for him to return to Division 1 (he had played a handful of matches for St. Catherine a few years ago).

"I watched Carlton a couple times last year and I liked the atmosphere at the club, plus I knew a couple of guys from my younger days," he said.

One was captain Shirley Clarke, whom he described as a "very nice fella".

It was the former Barbados youth skipper who also gave him the opportunity to bat at his preferred position.

Richards’ high-scoring for Conrad Hunte Sports Club was made as an opening batsman, but he wanted to move down a notch. "I always liked to open the batting and playing for Conrad Hunte I had to carry the workload and lead from the front," he said.

"This year, Shirley asked where I felt comfortable batting. I told him I felt comfortable at No. 3 and it has worked out."

Lopez could also turn to the advice of another former national youth captain his brother, Donovan.

"Every night he would tell me: ‘Calli you are good enough to play at first-class level’. He would tell me to be focused and think about what I want to do," the younger Lopez said.

Rest assured, both Lopez and Richards will be focused when they board the aircraft for Jamaica tomorrow.

© The Barbados Nation