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Winston Reid, Barbados' former left-arm offspin bowler, is not very disappointed at not having played cricket at the international level for the West Indies. Reid, who will captain a Winston Reid XI against a President's XI in his own benefit match at Kensington Oval today, said that during his long, cricket career his focus was always on performing well for Barbados.

I concentrated only on playing for Barbados and I always gave of my best for my country, he said.

I never gave much thought to playing for the West Indies. I left that up to the selectors. With respect to the timing of his retirement from first-class cricket, Reid said the decision was made easier for him because of the present crop of spinners who are coming on nicely.

And what advice would he give these young, promising spinners?

It calls for hard work, lots of practice, mastering and then sticking to the basics, and always trying to give 100 per cent, was his recipe for success.

The intrepid spinner said he was never scared by the reputation of any of the leading batsmen against whom he had to bowl.

As far as I was concerned, the batsman had the bat and I the ball, and I knew once I stuck to the basics of line and length, I had a chance of getting anybody out, he added.

Turning his attention to the Barbados Fire & Commercial Cup currently in progress, Reid said he was impressed with young batsman Alcindo Holder of ICB Empire.

Holder slammed 117 not out against Reid's team, Banks, in the opening match of the Cup, and Reid praised the young batsman for the mature way he batted during that innings.

Reid said that what impressed him most about Holder was the fact he played straight right in the V for the greater part of his innings and how he went about building it.

The captain of the other team involved in today's benefit match is Roland Holder, and included in that team are former West Indies greats Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

The match starts at 11:30 a.m. and tickets are priced at $10 each for either of the Kensington Stand, Sir Garfield Sobers Pavilion, and the Three W's Stand.

BCA members will be accommodated in the Challenor Stand and the Pickwick Pavilion and they are being asked to make a monetary contribution to the benefit.

An entertainment package, starting at 10:30 a.m., will precede the match with performances expected from top band krosfyah, five-time calypso monarch Red Plastic Bag, Smokey Burke, and P. J. Lovell among others.

© The Barbados Nation