Jason Holder brings smiles to fans faces ahead of Tests
Jason Holder on Friday made a surprise appearance at the ticket booth at Kensington Oval to greet some of the many fans who came early to secure seats for the first Test against England. The charismatic West Indies captain underscored the importance of the regional fan base, as he took time out from his schedule to greet supporters at the historic venue. Some fans arrived as early as early as 6 am, in a bid to secure tickets for the match, which starts on January 23, and were all smiles when they saw the Windies skipper join them in the morning sunshine.
“I just felt the need to come and meet the fans and spend some time with them,” said the 27-year-old. “We’re nothing if we don’t have the support of our fans. We play for them and we value their support … so I made the effort to come this morning and speak to some of them.”
Holder posed for photos and also interacted with the more than 100 fans waiting in line to purchase tickets.
The all-rounder has made a full recovery after missing the ill-fated tour of Bangladesh last November and December.Holder, who turned out in Barbados Pride’s last first class match against Guyana Jaguars at Kensington Oval, declared himself fit to start the first Test.
“I’m feeling strong again and I’m looking forward to playing against England here at home,” Holder told reporters. “I had a full month on rehab and my body is feeling great. I played the last four-day match for Barbados against Guyana and it managed to get through that game quite well. I will be fully ready for the first Test.”
Holder averages 30 with the bat from 35 Tests and has also scored two hundreds, while taking 86 wickets at an average of 28. He enjoyed an outstanding year in 2018, ending the year 10th in the ICC bowling rankings and second in the all-rounders rankings.