Mom, dad's delight

Ryon Jones, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Despite not being with their son for a number of years, the parents of West Indies fast bowling all-rounder Andre Russell are not surprised by his rise in the sport, but are overcome with delight at his recent performances on the field.

The 23-year-old Jamaican has been in the limelight of late following impressive showings in the recently concluded Digicel Pearls one-day international (ODI) series against India. He was named Man of the Match for the second time in three matches after finishing with figures of 4-35 from eight overs and four balls in the fifth and final ODI match last Thursday at Sabina Park.

saddened

His mother, Sandra Davis, and father, Michael Russell, who are currently residing in Montserrat and the Cayman Islands, respectively were saddened by the fact that they did not witness their son competing at the highest level in his chosen sport at home.

Andre, however, was not disheartened by their absence, as he is confident that they are behind him 100 per cent.

"In one way or another, they are always giving me support, telling me that I can do it and that I should just believe in God and put him first," Russell shared about his parents.

When The Gleaner got in touch with Davis on Friday, she was at a loss for words to express her elation at her eldest child's achievements.

"There are no words that I can use to explain how proud I am and how I feel about my son," Davis said. "From early in Andre's life, as a young cricketer, I saw the passion and the love that he developed, as he got to know the game and got to play the sport."

Davis took up residence in Montserrat in 2007 following a previous sojourn in 2005. She has, however, set July 14 as the date she plans to return to Jamaica indefinitely.

"We (she and Andre) spoke on Sunday and I told him (about her pending return) and he was so happy," Davis recalled. "He told me, 'Mom, that is good. I want you to be with me at least for a couple of months, a year ..." she added.

The elder Russell, who also has not been around the eldest of his five children on a consistent basis since he moved to the Cayman Islands in 2001, said he had expected Andre to achieve all that he has.

"He has always told me that he is going out there to do his best, so it doesn't surprise me," the proud dad declared. "If a man is going out there to do his best at all times, he is going to be a pro one of the days.

bowling genes

And if Andre's hard work were not enough, Michael Russell believes he had an ace up his sleeve - bowling genes. He is convinced there is some relation to fast bowling legend Courtney Walsh. The connection, he says, stems from his own mother whose maiden name was Walsh.

But cricket is not the first sport that young Russell has shown great promise in, as he was a top goalkeeper in the daCosta Cup football competition for Clarendon College. In fact, his father was somewhat surprised when he decided to take up cricket.

"He loved football and a lot of companies wanted him to play for them," Michael Russell recalled. "So when his mother called me and said, 'Andre wants to do cricket', I was surprised because he was excelling in football. He, however, told me that he loved cricket, so I told him to do whatever he wants to do.