Nicholson keen to continue good form

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force batsman Ewart Nicholson wants to build on his First Round performance versus the Barbados Pride, during this weekend’s Digicel Regional Four-Day Round Two match, against the Jamaica Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

Playing in just his third First-Class match last week against the Barbados Pride, Nicholson scored back-to-back half centuries to help the Red Force to a draw in the opening round. Nicholson scored 74 in the first innings, his maiden First-Class half century. He got another half century in the second innings when he scored 55.

Nicholson, 24 years old, batted with captain Denesh Ramdin in both innings which he said made batting easier. “Batting with Ramdin was really a nice feeling because he is the most experienced player on our team. Batting with him makes batting easier and he gives you advice while you are batting with him.”

Ramdin and Nicholson shared in a 126-run fourth wicket partnership in the first innings, then combined to put on 50 in a fifth wicket second innings stand.

Nicholson was satisfied to get among the runs early in the season.”That was the first game so I was just looking for a score. I wanted to get into a rhythm and I enjoyed my performance in the first game and everything went well.”

Nicholson, a former national Under-17 and Under-19 cricketer, rated his first innings as his better knock. “The first innings was a little more important because we needed to get a good score on the board because it was the first innings. The pass mark was 300 and we achieved it.”

The Red Force scored an even 300 in the first innings, before scoring 257 for five declared in the second.

After the first match Ramdin called on the Red Force batsmen to convert their starts. Nicholson admitted he was disappointed not to convert at least one of his scores to a century. “I was a bit disappointed not scoring a hundred especially in the first innings. The first innings I got off to a good start getting to 74, and being 26 runs away from scoring my first first class hundred so I was really disappointed.”

Nicholson, who grew up in Curepe, said his work during the off-season is paying off. Nicholson said, “During the off-season I have been working on my fitness because when you are playing four-day cricket fitness is the key because you need to be fit. I have been doing plenty batting, I am being patient and trying to ensure that I stroke the ball along the ground. I am also trying to stay focused and play each ball on its merit and that helped me do well in the first game.”