Dominican Spinner Shane Shillingford Selected to West Indies A Team

Dominican and Windward Islands off spinner, Shane Shillingford is among thirteen players selected to the West Indies A Team to play against Zimbabwe in Grenada later this month.

In an exclusive interview with Dominica Central, the twenty-seven (27) year old Right- arm offbreak spinner, said he is very happy for the opportunity to represent the West Indies. “I am quite ecstatic. It feels great. I’m just returning from a ten-day training camp in Barbados that was very intense and I am very happy about getting unto the team and I am hoping to do excellently” he said

Shillingford, who has been outstanding with both the ball and bat during the last two seasons, says he’s looking to up his game and post even greater all-round performances against Zimbabwe and upcoming tours. “I feel pretty good about my bowling coming out of the training camp and I’m looking to continue to take wickets” he said. “I’ve also been working on my batting and I’m just looking to come out good with both ball and bat.”

Mervin Thomas, Coach of Dominica’s Senior National Cricket Team described Shillingford as a very skillful and wily cricketer who would do both the West Indies and Dominica proud. “He’s a very skillful player who’s coming into his own as a well rounded cricketer and given the opportunity, he’ll perform well and give a good account of himself “he said.

Thomas said Shillingford’s call-up to the West Indies A Team is “just rewards for his performance” and sees it as a sign that he is being looked at very seriously for senior duty. That time some say is overdue.

Shillingford says he’s hoping that the call will come “anytime soon”, but for now was “excited to be part of the Team and hoping to have a great performance.”

The 6ft 4” Dominican spinner made his First Class debut in 200/2001. He has played 55 first class matches with a best bowling innings of 7/66 and highest score of 63. Since 200o/2001, Shillingford has represented Dominica, and the Windward Islands. In 2002 he was selected to the West Indies Under-19 Team and in 2008 played for Brentwood, in Essex England.