Hinds thrilled with century before home crowd

Wavell Hinds was thrilled on scoring a Test century before his home crowd at Sabina Park on Saturday.

The 25-year-old, recalled to the West Indies team in the fourth Test at Antigua last week, struck an aggressive 113 as his team amassed 287 for four on the first day of the fifth Test against India after being sent in to bat.

"It's my first century in front of my home crowd," Hinds said. "I'm very pleased."

But he regretted getting out caught at long off while trying to hoist off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for his third six.

"I will always regret that shot because the percentages weren't in my favour," Hinds said. "I was very disappointed for myself and the team when I got out.

"At that stage I should have consolidated a bit more, played for the water break as it was around the corner and carried on from there."

The Jamaican, who normally bats in the middle-order, had scored 165 for his career-best Test knock against Pakistan at Bridgetown in the 1999-2000 season. But since then has not had success at the international level for the last two years.

"I've not enjoyed the kind of form and runs over the last couple of years that I got in the beginning of my career," he said.

WORKING HARD

"Over the last couple of years I've been trying to work on my technique and to improve my game as best as I can so that I am equipped to deal with whatever condition, whatever situation I come up against."

Hinds said he did not mind being pushed up to the openers' slot in the West Indies team, where middle-order vacancies are hard to come by because of the likes of Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

"I've batted mainly in the middle-order in first class cricket, so I'm more comfortable doing that," Hinds said.

"But opportunities come in different ways and different forms. I have got a chance here to open and as a batsman I have a job to do."

Hinds said it was a good wicket to bat on and expected West Indies to pile up a huge total on Sunday and take control.

"I think it's a very good wicket. It was a bit slow earlier today with the moisture in but as it went on it got very good pace and bounce, as good as anywhere in the Caribbean. We should do well on it tomorrow," Hinds said.

"The fast bowlers got some bounce and sideways movement in the first session but after that if you concentrated, you got results."

Mail Cricket Editor