Ramdin raring to make his recall count

St. George’s (Grenada), Feb 22 (IANS/CMC):

West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin says he has been working overtime with bat and gloves to bolster his preparations for the three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Zimbabwe which bowls off at the national stadium here Friday.

The experienced 27-year-old has been recalled after missing the last two One-Day trips to Bangladesh last December and the ODI series in Australia earlier this month.

“I am mentally and physically ready for this challenge. My form is ‘there’ and I am feeling confident with the bat and I have been working twice as hard to make sure I get runs when I’m out in the middle,” said Ramdin, who has made 94 One-Day appearances for the Windies since his debut in 2005.

“Behind the stumps, I worked overtime to make sure that I was fit and ready when the selectors called on me.”

Ramdin joined team-mates during a full training session Wednesday at the Grenada National Stadium, where the three-match rubber will be played Friday, Sunday and next Tuesday.

The series will mark a return of international cricket to the Spice Isle for the first time since 2009.

“It’s wonderful to be back in the West Indies One-Day colours and I’m looking to grab this opportunity with both hands,” Ramdin told WICB Media.

“I have been away from the ODI scene but I have been doing well in Test cricket. I had some good performances last year, so I am looking to transfer that into the One-Day format, starting with these matches against Zimbabwe.”