Fast-rising Dacres awaits big chance

Anthony Foster, Gleaner Writer

Much-improved fast bowler Ricardo Dacres did not travel with Jamaica's 14-man squad which left yesterday for St Kitts and Nevis to participate in the West Indies Four-Day Championship.

However, chairman of Jamaica's senior selection panel, Ruddy Williams, said Dacres was not forgotten.

"He has been improving so much that if anyone is to be replaced now, he will be the one," Williams pointed out.

"The competition is long (12 matches) and there is no doubt if we have to replace anyone, he will be the person," reiterated Williams.

Dacres, who took part in his first trial match in December, was left out of the team at the expense of the most successful bowler during the trials, Andre Russell, West Indies Under-19 player Jason Dawes and the experienced Andrew Richardson.

The three-pronged pace attack will be backed up by David Bernard Jr.

Dacres, who along with other players who weren't included in the final cut, will be part of a specialised training camp supervised by Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) technical director, Jimmy Adams.

He said he would continue "working hard".

Ready for the challenge

"I will have to keep working hard, so that if and when I get my chance, I am ready for the challenge," said Dacres, who took nine wickets in three trial matches.

But, who really is Dacres?

He is a 23-year-old fast bowler, who hails from Old Folly in St Ann.

He started playing cricket at Discovery Bay All-Age in the late 90s and later passed the Common Entrance examination for Brown's Town High. There, his hopes to continue playing the sport received a setback.

"I did not know Brown's Town High did not have a cricket team until when I started school there. I tried to get a transfer, but it was too late," he explained.

He represented the school in basketball and found a way to satisfy his love for cricket by suiting up for Old Folly in the parish's domestic league.

He moved on to represent St Ann Bauxite's team and after two years of outstanding play, the St Ann Parish team summoned him in 2007.

Impact

The same year he got called up to play for a Jamaica Development team and again he made an impact.

After that outing, Dacres not only took home the experience of representing Jamaica, but also, important information about his future development. He was told he needed to work on his run-up.

"I had some problems with my run-up, so I went back to the drawing board and did the necessary work, with the help of parish coach Cleon Smith," he explained, adding "... and the next year (2008), after a successful Super Cup, I got a called to the Jamaica trial."

Although he wasn't chosen in the Jamaica 14, Dacres has high hopes.

"I see myself, in the next two to three years, in the West Indies team," he said.

Dacres said his main weapon was moving the ball both ways, but batsmen feared his short-delivery more.