MCKENZIE SAYS TIME AT ACADEMY STEPS IN RIGHT DIRECTION

Opener Kirk McKenzie believes the time spent at the West Indies Academy helped tremendously with his performances for West Indies “A” team on the recent tour of Bangladesh.

The 22-year-old left-hander scored 209 runs at an average of 41 in the four-day “Tests”, hitting 86 in the drawn opener last month before following up with 91 in the second game which the touring side won by three wickets in Sylhet. West Indies won the three-match series 1-0 – with the victory coming in the second match.

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“It was similar conditions to the pitches here in Antigua so it was an easy adjustment for me. I just used the form that I had here during the Headley-Weekes Trophy and carried it over,” McKenzie said. He was speaking to CWI Media as he rejoined the West Indies Academy High Performance camp at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

“I was just really confident. The ball was coming onto the bat nicely, I was in good positions and it just happened I was scoring fast. I just took that and tried to make the most of it.”

McKenzie was in good form during the Headley-Weekes Tri-Series, hitting 221 for West Indies Academy against Team Weekes at Coolidge Cricket Ground. He faced 386 balls in nearly 8 1/2 hours and struck 26 fours and a six.

He earned a place on tour to Bangladesh and said experience was a vital one for him, especially rubbing shoulders with senior players who already had international experience.

“That was really good. There was a lot of Test players and white ball players. And I think the professionalism the coaches brought and the skipper brought really helped us going over the line. I’m just looking to continue doing the right things, not to slacken off but keep building on what I have so far,” McKenzie said.

“Making the ‘A’ team was always a goal going into the first class series but I didn’t really have the first class season I wanted. I still made the team so that’s a plus for me. Looking from the start of the year, I didn’t see myself right here now but God has done it for me so far, it’s just for me to continue pushing on.” (CWI)