Jordan pacing himself

Vincentian cricketer Ray Jordan, who impressed at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, which concluded last Saturday, is pacing his progress.{{more}}

Jordan, who worked up a head of steam with his right arm fast bowling, was the lead bowler for the West Indies outfit.

Clocking regularly close to 90 miles per hour, Jordan captured 12 wickets in the five matches he played at the cost of 199 runs.

In his outings, Jordan took 2/45 versus South Africa; he had 3/32 against Zimbabwe and took 2 for 44 versus Canada. Jordan picked up 2 for 34 against Australia and 3 for 44 when the West Indies faced Afghanistan.

Jordan, who returned last Friday night, while admitting that he had a good outing, does not want to get ahead of himself too quickly.

“It was a good tournament for me… I tried my best for my team and I am generally happy with what I did … I know I was the lead bowler … I was expected to bowl fast and spearhead the bowling and that I did… I am short and my action allows me to bowl fast … I am sort of a skiddy bowler,” Jordan told SEARCHLIGHT as he arrived minus his luggage.

“Everyone expects me to make the Windward Islands senior team soon, which I believe I will, but I will have to continue to work harder,” Jordan acknowledged.

Like any other cricketer in the region, Jordan has his eyes set on making the senior West Indies team in the shortest possible time.

Acknowledging that he is being talked about, Jordan said he is using the recent sojourn as a springboard for his future endeavours.

Jordan reckons his dismissal of Australian captain Alex Gregory in the quarterfinals was his stand-out moment of the tournament.

“We really wanted a wicket and the captain (Ramaal Lewis) brought me on to get it and I did so by bowling Gregory… who is Australia’s best batsman… with a yorker,” Jordan reflected.

He also rates highly his two wickets in two balls versus Afghanistan, when the team needed it most in the play-offs for the fifth place.

Jordan’s efforts helped the West Indies to eke out a nine-run win over their opponents.

The 19-year-old Jordan, who hails from the Magum area in the North Windward constituency, plays for local club Victors One. He came through the Under-15 set- up and has also played for the St Vincent and the Grenadines and Windwards Under-19 teams.

He has been named in the 24-member Windwards senior team for this year’s regional four-day tournament, despite not appearing in the two-day Windwards competition in Grenada last December.

Jordan was away on duties with the West Indies Under-19 team in their aborted tour to Bangladesh.

When the West Indies Cricket Board held a clinic for young cricketers here some years ago, Jordan was identified as one player for the future.

Among those who lauded him then, was the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers and Ramnaresh Sarwan. (RT)