Seamer Collymore to lead Barbados for KFC Cup
CMC | 21/09/07
Corey Collymore
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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - Experienced fast bowler Corey Collymore has been appointed Barbados captain for the upcoming KFC Cup.
The announcement was made Friday by acting Barbados Cricket Association president Conde Riley at the press conference in which it was revealed that Ryan Hinds had not been reappointed on the grounds of attitudinal problems.
The 29-year-old Collymore is looking forward to the assignment and has promised to give it his best shot.
"It was never a dream of mine to captain Barbados. My dream was always to play for Barbados and by extension West Indies," he told reporters.
"To captain your nation or your country is always an honour and I will try to do it to the best of my ability."
Collymore has represented West Indies in 30 Tests and 84 One-Day Internationals and has 86 first-class appearances.
While he is upbeat ahead of his new job, he is concerned about the form of the batsmen in two national trial matches at Kensington Oval on Wednesday and Thursday.
In the first match, Collymore's XI, defending a total of 202, restricted Ryan Hinds' team to 110 and in the second game, a team led by Dwayne Smith managed only 144 to which Collymore's XI lost seven wickets before winning.
The challenge for Barbados is even greater in the absence of the experienced Floyd Reifer, who will be turning out for the Combined Campuses and Colleges in the KFC Cup.
"Leading any Barbados team is challenge, especially after losing a player like Floyd Reifer from the middle order," Collymore said.
"In the two trial games we had, the scores were not becoming of Barbados teams in the past. We have to put in some extra work for this upcoming season."
The BCA also announced its full management team for the KFC Cup. It comprises coach Hendy Springer, assistant coach Vasbert Drakes, manager Livy Coppin, physiotherapist Jacqui King-Mowatt and trainer Wayne Griffith.
The KFC Cup bowls off in Guyana on October 16 and the semi-finals and final will be played in Barbados as day/night matches at the 3Ws Oval.
