Bravo pleased with young players

William Perkins scoops Brett Lee to the boundary - (DigicelCricket.com - Brooks La Touche Photography)

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS – Stand-in West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo says

he is pleased to see his young charges take the opportunities presented to them

in the Inaugural Digicel Twenty20 International, played at the at the Kensington

Oval and make names for themselves on the world stage.

Andre Fletcher drives for more runs - (DigicelCricket.com - Brooks La Touche Photography)

“I said it to the guys in the dressing room, there is no (Chris) Gayle, no

(Ramnaresh) Sarwan, no (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul. There are opportunities for

other guys to step up and make a name for themselves, and it’s nice to see

(Xavier) Marshall get a good score,” said Bravo who stood in as leader in place of

the injured duo of regular captain Gayle and deputy Sarwan.

Dwayne Bravo pulls Shane Watson for a huge match winning six - (DigicelCricket.com - Brooks La Touche Photography)

Marshall made a pugnacious and fearless 15 ball 36, and took a phenomenal

catch on the boundary, while debutant pacer Kemar Roach took two wickets for

29 runs from three overs as he bowled with sharp and genuine pace and a level

head for the most part.

“It’s nice to see them take the opportunity and grab it with both hands. That is

good for West Indies cricket, and once we keep in that vein, I think we will have

a good side for the future,” the 24-year-old Bravo projected.

Xavier Marshall drives through the off side for four -(DigicelCricket.com - Brooks La Touche Photography)

In addition to Marshall and Roach, also debuting for the West Indies were

opening batsman William Perkins, batsman Andre Fletcher, and left-arm spinner

Sulieman Benn.

Benn who opened the bowling, returned figures of 2 overs for 19 runs, and while

Marshall and Benn had represented the Windies previously in Tests and One-Day

Internationals, it was the first outing in Windies colours for the Grenadian

Perkins, the Barbadian-born Trinidadian Fletcher, and Roach who debuted in

front his home crowd.

Fidel Edwards, the right-arm quick, bowled two wicketless but impressive overs

for 12 runs while Bravo’s two overs also went for 12 runs and he picked up one

wicket.

While at 26 years of age, Edwards is still young, and is a senior to Roach (19),

Fletcher (20), Perkins (21), Kieron Pollard (21), Marshall (22), and Denesh Ramdin

(23).

Xavier Marshall receives his Digicel Man of the Match medal from WICB director Condi Riley -(DigicelCricket.com - Brooks La Touche Photography

They were all in the Windies final eleven that completed a stunning seven wicket

win over the more experienced and higher rated Australians, in an 11 over-a-

side encounter after persistent rain throughout the day forced a reduction in the

overs from the scheduled 20 overs-a-side.

Bravo was similarly delighted with the win.

“It’s nice to come out on top, I must give credit to everyone. I think the guys

played tremendous through the start,” Bravo said. “It was nice to know we

gained our focus quickly (after the weather interruption), came out bowled first

and restrict them to a total that we knew our batsmen could get.”

A gracious Bravo told legendary commentator Tony Cozier at the post match

presentation ceremony, that “The support from the guys on and off the field was

tremendous (along with) the support from the people here in Barbados (who

came) out and supported us in these conditions, I must give thanks to all of

them.”

Marshall was presented with a medal for winning the Digicel Man of the Match

award, and Bravo, the effervescent all-rounder from Trinidad said that he was

looking forward to the five match Digicel One-Day Series which kicks off at the

Anos Vale Playing Field in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday June 24th.

“It’s going to be exciting, do not forget that we are playing against the number

one team in the world. But from the next game we’re going to be at full strength;

Chris, Sarwan, Shiv everyone will be ready to go, and it is going to be a very

good series, we are looking forward to it and enjoying it while it lasts,” a

confident Bravo revealed. (COURTESY-: digicelcricket.com)