SPORTS
Come on Beckles
BELLE BECKLES
FORMER West Indies U-19 cricketer Joshua James had a rewarding 2022 and is looking ahead to the years ahead, including a call-up to the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force squad.
James, a former national youth cricketer, was part of the Jamaica Tallawahs team that won the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2022. He was only the second Tobagonian to play in the CPL, following in the footsteps of Navin Stewart.
Later in the year, he was a member of the West Indies Academy which competed in the West Indies Cricket Super50 Cup.
James, 21, represented West Indies in the 2020 International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup.
James is now transitioning from a minor player to a senior player. That transition is sometimes difficult for athletes, but James is pleased with his development.
“Yeah, I think my progress is coming along pretty well,” James said. “I’m bowling well, keeping my line and length. In hitting… you take your time and work until you get the balls you can hit. Once I get on with it, it’s going to get better for me.”
James is getting the chance to test his leadership skills as he captains the Masqueraders in the Namalco U-23 tournament which took place on Wednesday.
Like most cricketers, James has set goals for himself.
“Within the next three years my aim is to make the senior TT team, which is the red ball (cricket) and 50 overs, then make the senior West Indies team as well.”
James wants to at least earn a call-up to the West Indies training squad and start learning so he’ll be ready when the opportunity comes.
“If not on (the team) be in and around, so when the opportunity comes knocking I can always be there.”
He also wants to play more franchise cricket and is eyeing a “big contract”.
Reflecting on the CPL, he was grateful to have played more matches.
“CPL this year was really good for me. Last year I only played one game, but this year I played three.
One of the factors that led to the title was behind the scenes work, as James said the Tallawahs analyzed their opponents.
“The key for us this year winning the CPL was (matching up) player for player. (Seeing) players’ weaknesses and analyze and come back on the day and still put in the work. Especially when the players came out and did what they said in the meeting, it worked in our favor most of the time.”
James was the most successful bowler for the West Indies Academy along with Joshua Bishop in the Super50 Cup. The pacer grabbed eight wickets in five matches with an economy of 4.91. James was also useful with the bat, scoring 111 runs at an average of 37.00 with a top score of 73.
James wants to contribute in all areas of the game.
“They used me as a bowling all-rounder, but I know I’m capable with the bat. I had to bat wherever they put me (in the batting order) but whenever I get a chance, I have to take it again… Super50, that was a great experience for us as young guys. We got to play against the best in the Caribbean. Although we didn’t get the results we were looking for. It was the first time for some of us, so we’re just learning from here.”
Teenagers and players in their early 20s represented the West Indies Academy.
