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The Barbados Nation Tino's terrific debut
Haydn Gill - 27 January 2002

It has been some time that a fast bowler around the region created a stir on a debut performance.

One of the most beautiful sights in the game of cricket is to watch someone unleashing thunderbolts at menacing pace.

Tino Best might not have done exactly that at Kensington Oval over the last two days, but the 20-year-old Barbadian surely had tongues wagging.

He was certainly pacy. He was aggressive. He was lively.

And he was rewarded with a haul of four for 50 from 15 overs of sustained pace in the opening round Busta Series match against Guyana.

Even when he was out of the attack, he was diving around and making sprawling saves in the field.

A lot of my inspiration comes from the whole energy in the field the players, the spectators and most of all the Lord, he told SUNSPORT.

What spurs me on are the players, my teammates and my coach, who always says to put in 100 per cent.

No one can deny that he gave anything less.

There was something special about each of his wickets. The one he will cherish most, however, was the scalp of Azeemul Haniff, with his fifth ball on Friday evening.

All of the wickets gave me satisfaction, but I think my favourite would have to be my first ever first-class wicket, he said.

It was a very quick delivery. It was caught by my main man, my best friend, Floyd Reifer.

I was exuberant. I could not believe it. It was awesome.

It's not often that a bowler on debut can come away with such impressive figures, but Best was confident in his ability and he was certain he was going to get assistance from above.

I am a guy who prays hard. I just asked the Lord to give me strength, he said.

I know once I pray to the Lord and I be a good person to everyone around me, He will let things happen for me.

Once I put in the work and I respect God, I know He will give me the strength to do well.

If one were to go merely on statistics, Best would not have found himself in the Barbados team.

The Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme member took just eight wickets in five Division 1 matches last season and three expensive wickets in the trials.

But he went into the team's training camp at Paragon seeking to prove a point.

I had worked real hard at Paragon to get ahead of the other fast bowlers.

'I just went out there and put forward my best foot for my country. I feel very good, he said.

© The Barbados Nation


Players/Umpires Azeemul Haniff, Floyd Reifer.
Grounds Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Internal Links Busta Cup.

Source: The Barbados Nation
Editorial comments can be sent to The Barbados Nation at nationnews@sunbeach.net