(Jamaica Observer) Left-arm orthodox slow bowler Nikita Miller is pleased with his recent showings against the touring Sri Lanka ‘A’ team and is eager for more West Indies duty as he continues the march towards a return to the senior set-up. The 31-year-old Miller suited up for the West Indies ‘A’ against their Sri Lankan counterparts in two drawn unofficial Tests in June.
He took 6-141 and made 50 not out in the high-scoring first match in St Kitts. Action was limited in the second encounter in St Vincent due to rain.
In Grenada, Miller grabbed 3-51 off 10 overs in the opening 50-overs match which Sri Lanka ‘A’ won; then 2-23 (nine overs) in West Indies’ victory in the second game; and 0-20 (seven overs) as the regional side took the third encounter to edge the series 2-1. “I’m happy with my performances for the ‘A’ team. The pitches were good for batting, but I was patient, and it paid off. It was a tough test, but it was still manageable, though the batsmen proved to be challenging,” said Miller, whose club team Melbourne CC, won the national 50-overs title on Saturday. Noting his continued desire to win a recall to the West Indies senior team, he said his immediate attention is on the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 (T20) competition. “My mindset remains the same (and) I know I’m capable of doing well at the highest level. For now I am looking towards the CPL, and then I wait to see if I’m included for any upcoming tours — ‘A’ team or senior,” he said.
Aside from a lone Test encounter against Bangladesh, where he went wicketless, Miller has played 39 One-Day Internationals (ODI) — the last coming in 2011 versus Ireland.
In ODIs, he has 30 wickets to his name at 40.63 and an economy rate of 4.62 runs per over. In seven T20 Internationals, Miller has taken nine wickets at 19.33. His most recent T20 outing for the senior team was against South Africa in 2010.
The spin bowler was on top of the bowling charts in the regional four-day cricket tournament, accounting for 52 victims in seven matches at an unbelievable 8.05 runs per wicket.
Miller made his first-class debut against the Leeward Islands in 2005 and has racked up 276 wickets in 56 matches at an outstanding 15.64.
