Carmichael aims to up his game

-focused on getting into national team

All-rounder Kellon Carmichael says that he intends to put all the training he endured during his stint with the English Club Hadleigh and Thundersley during the 2014 Essex county Division One League season into practice upon his return to the local circuit.

When Stabroek Sport contacted the Malteenoes player via social media yesterday he said that his confidence was “growing game by game” but despite the good knocks he wants to improve in that area. “I’m also aiming to produce good performances when I get back which would boost my chances of getting into the national team,” he said.

“At the moment my confidence is growing in the batting department, there is still work to be done there but I’m very much confident

Kellon Carmichael
Kellon Carmichael

with my bowling it’s going very well for me. I’m getting deliveries in the right area which is producing wickets and most importantly winning games for my team,” he said. Carmichael also said that he is quickly acclimatizing to the conditions.

To date the former Under-19 player has recorded outstanding figures of 2-49, 2-30, 3-45, 3-35, 2-22, 1-33, 5-21, 3-15, 2-56 and a career best 7-16 with the ball, while in the batting department he has chalked up scores of, 111*, 100*, 41, 59*, 68, 59, 48, 28, 19, 11, 6, 78, 44 most of which steered his club to wins.

Speaking about what he has learnt from competing in England, Carmichael said, “So far I learnt that batting, especially in the early part of the season is that you have to be patient and play the ball a lot later because the ball is not coming onto the bat quickly.”

“You have to be really patient because the ball is seaming and swinging a lot so you have to play late and bat long that is the advice that I have been given and so far it worked out for me because each time I bat it gets better and better for me,” he said. The player also noted that when it comes to bowling it is a bit easier due to the nature of the pitches and bowling fuller lengths along with variations in the route that he has taken successfully.

Due to his vast improvements with the bat, the right-hander said, “More emphasis will be placed on my batting when I get back because everyone is aware of my capability with the ball so I want to prove my worth with the bat.” With the season ending in September, the 26-year-old said that he plans to grow from strength to strength and to play a major role in his team finishing the league season in the top three. “My main goal is to help my team finish among the top teams in the league, as well I have some personal goals I want to acquire.

I just want to lift the standard of my personal game with regards to batting, bowling and fielding,” he said.

“After all that I have learnt in England I aim to put it all in to practice and also to share what knowledge I can with my fellow cricketers,” he said. Carmichael has already been called up for the ongoing senior inter-county trails and is expected home on September 14.