Disappointed Hinds wants to 'stamp his authority'

Ryan Hinds is not making a fuss over his non-selection to the West Indies squad for the first Test against England. Hinds was overlooked despite an overwhelming start to the domestic season, with a tournament-best 382 runs at an average of 95.50 and 14 wickets for Barbados in the first three rounds of the Regional Four-Day Competition.

"Obviously, you'd be disappointed, but this is a chance for me to stamp my authority," he said after collecting his second successive Man-of-the-Match award in Barbados' crushing victory over the Leeward Islands at Carib Lumber Park on Sunday.

"I've had conversations with [selectors] Mr Clyde Butts, and Robert Haynes told me that he is really impressed with my effort. It is just a matter for me to go out there and do it on a more consistent basis," he said. "I am not down spirited. We have a lot of cricket to play this year. I'll be looking forward to continue what I'm doing - getting runs, wickets, taking catches and enjoying playing cricket for Barbados."

Hinds' aggregate includes a career-best 240 against Leewards that was made on Friday after the selection panel of Clyde Butts, Robert Haynes, Raphick Jumadeen and coach John Dyson put their heads together to come up with a squad.

When pressed for reasons for Hinds' non-inclusion, Butts pointed to concerns over his fitness, noting that the allrounder often had to pull out of West Indies squads in the past because of injuries. "I've been fitter than before. I've been putting in a lot of hard work. This is five months that I've been training really hard behind the scenes," Hinds said while lauding the contribution of Barbados trainer Jasper Blades and physiotherapist Jacqui King-Mowatt for helping him in that area.

Last Saturday, while his team-mates were in the pavilion getting themselves ready for warm-up drills prior to the start of play, Hinds was out on the park running around 15 minutes before the formal training started. It was all part of the extra work that Hinds said he has often done in recent times.

"It is something that I've been doing for quite some time, but a lot of people don't have to know what I am doing," he said. "Captain Jason Haynes, who is a fitness freak, is my personal friend. He said, 'Mate, you need to get fitter'."

Hinds' 240 was the second-highest score by a Barbadian in regional first-class competitions, after Desmond Haynes' 246 against Windward Islands at Kensington Oval in 1992, and it was his eighth first-class century. The innings followed his 89 against Windwards in the previous match when he went past 5000 first-class runs.

"It is up there with one of the best innings I have ever played. This is the best start I have had to a season," he said. "It is always good to start on a really good note. It is always good to maintain your good form and play positively. Sometimes you play games and you get two jaffas and you start to doubt yourself."

It was the third time Hinds had turned in a major contribution against the Leewards. Three years ago in St Thomas, his 168 and 150 was the first time a batsman made 150 or more in both innings of a regional first-class match in the West Indies, and back in 2001 in Nevis, his left-arm spin earned him a 15-wicket match haul, including a record 9 for 68 in the first innings.

"I tell myself anytime I am struggling, I'll like to play against the Leewards the next game," Hinds said. "Leewards play positive cricket. They are always at you. They are a very aggressive team. It is just a matter of me taking the attack to them. I really enjoy playing against guys like them."