Left-arm orthodox spinner Khary Pierre stood head and shoulders above his peers at the Soca Kings North/South Classic, grabbing eight wickets for 71 runs to be named the Express Star of the Month for January 2023.
Pierre, who is well-known in the white-ball formats, having played three ODIs and ten T20Is for the West Indies, is looking to step up his game with the red ball this year after earning a place in the visiting Force squad. Trinidad and Tobago Reds. for the first two rounds of the four-day West Indies Championship tournament, which begins today.
T&T take on the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Grenada National Stadium starting today and given the opportunity, Pierre will be on the hunt for jackets.
A product of Queen’s Park Cricket Club, 31-year-old Pierre made his first-class debut in 2016 and played the last of his 17 first-class matches in 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic brought all sports to a halt.
With figures of three for 42 and five for 29, Pierre was the standout performer in the spin-dominated ‘Classic’ and is looking to make an impact for the Red Force as they chase an elusive four-day crown.
“I’ve worked hard on my game in both white-ball and red-ball cricket, but it’s always good to take wickets and see your hard work come to fruition,” Pierre said of his ‘Classic’ effort.
“I had a good outing in the North/South Classic picking a few wickets there and to come back into the Red Force squad and just be part of the squad is a privilege. I was always around, but I didn’t make the starting 11 as much as I wanted,” he added.
“To break into 11, I have to keep taking wickets. As a shooter, that’s your job.
“Hopefully when I get my chance I can do that for the team and that’s something I’ve been working towards,” Pierre said.
Asked about his plans for the four-day games, he said: “I’m keeping it simple.”
“Four-day cricket is a lot of patience and trying to outplay bowlers, so I’m working on my consistency and trying to spin the ball more and change my pace because that’s what’s going to fool the batsmen and will drive them away,” he added. .
“I have kept my body ready to go and we have to do what we have to do. We are professionals after all and this is our job.
“So whatever it takes to get going and get it working, I’ll do it,” Pierre concluded.
Pierre has been useful for the Red Force in four-day cricket, grabbing 37 wickets in his 17 appearances with a best of six for 34.
The left-armer has compiled 556 first-class runs and also has a first-class century to his name (106 not out) as well as a half-century.
