Santokie ready to bowl at the death

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Bowling towards the end of an innings in limited-overs cricket, especially in the Twenty20 format, can be a very daunting task.

However, according to Jamaica's rising Twenty20 bowler, left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie, who is increasingly being given the responsibility to bowl at the death, it is a "challenge" to which he dedicates maximum effort.

The 26-year-old, who ended as last season's Caribbean Twenty20 (CT20) tournament's second highest wicket-taker, says bowling at the death calls for a lot of focus, control, and variation, much of which he tries whenever he is called upon.

"It's always a challenge to bowl at the death, but I am the type of person whereby if am given a responsibility, I always try to do it to the best," he said shortly after Jamaica's third practice game ahead of next month's second CT20 tournament.

"It's a little added pressure, but Twenty20 cricket in general is a game of pressure. You just have to put your mind to it, show control, and bowl with a lot of variations," he added.

A member of the West Indies Under-15 champion ICC World Youth Cup team in 2000, Santokie came to regional attention last season following his explosive performance at the CT20.

After taking three for 20 off his maximum four overs in Jamaica's first match of the tournament against the Leewards, the medium-built Santokie went on to claim five for 24 off his maximum against then defending champions, Trinidad and Tobago, in the team's final group game.

His victims in that game included the Bravo brothers, Dwayne and Darren, Lendl Simmons, and the highly rated T20 specialist, Kieron Pollard.

Santokie extended his form into the semi-finals, where he claimed a meagre two for 12 off his maximum four overs against Barbados.

These performances led him to a total of 10 wickets, one behind tournament-leading Guyana all-rounder, Lennox Cush.

Call-up

For his efforts, Santokie was then given a call-up to the West Indies 'A' team against the touring Pakistanis in October. He played one match and took two for 24 off three overs.

"I was pleased with my performance last season as the ball was coming out of my hand nicely. I just hope I can do it again this season," said Santokie.

"I know it won't be easy. A lot of players will be looking out for me, but I will be looking out for them too," he added.

Jamaica, which will be gunning for their first hold on a regional Twenty20 title, have been drawn in Group 'A' of this season's CT20 along with England's Friends Provident Twenty20 runners-up Somerset, defending champions Guyana, the Combined Campuses and Colleges, and the Windward Islands.

Jamaica will open their account against Guyana on the tournament's opening day.