PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Pacer Ravi Rampaul is eyeing his first Test on home soil when West Indies face South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval later this week.
The 25-year-old has played all three of his Tests against Australia, following the series Down Under late last year.
Rampaul said yesterday he was anxiously looking forward to playing before his home crowd in the first match of the three-Test series.
“It is great to make your Test debut and even better to make your debut in front of your home crowd,” the right-armer said.
“I have a good chance of making my Test debut [on home soil] and it will be really wonderful to make my debut here. I have played a lot of cricket at the Queen’s Park Oval and I am really anxious to get out there and do well for my team.”
Seen largely as a one-day bowler, Rampaul made his Test debut in Brisbane last November, playing in all three Tests to finish with four wickets.
He has taken 49 wickets in 50 One-Day Internationals since making his debut seven years ago.
With fast bowler Jerome Taylor out of the squad with injury and fellow quick Kemar Roach doubtful for the game, Rampaul said he may even be required to lead the attack.
“Well it is a possibility that I may well be leading the attack in the absence of the more senior guys and I will be giving it my all,” Rampaul revealed.
“I have had a look at the Queen’s Park pitch and it seems to be the usual. It will not give too much assistance to fast bowlers.
“Early use of it might be the best time but the weather with all the rain we have been having, may well play it’s part in determining how much assistance the faster men get.”
West Indies will enter the Test on the string of several defeats, after suffering a 5-0 whitewash to the Proteas in the ODI series.
Against this backdrop, Rampaul said a winning start to the season was what the Windies required.
“Once we can get a win in the opening Test, it will erase what occurred earlier in the series,” Rampaul noted.
“We need to hit the ground running and go hard at the South Africans. We have met on a couple occasions to discuss our strategy and how to work out certain players and I think we will do well once we stick to our plan.”
The opening Test bowls off tomorrow.
