Windies fast bowler Jayden Seales sets realistic ODI goals

WEST Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales is setting realistic goals in One-Day International (ODI) cricket despite making an emphatic start in his Test career.

Seales, a former West Indies Under-19 player, made a statement immediately when he entered the Test arena in 2021 with disciplined bowling beyond his years. Seales has already snatched 16 wickets in four Test matches.

The fast bowler from Couva, Trinidad has been included on the ODI squad to play Ireland in a three-match series bowling off at Sabina Park, Jamaica, on Saturday. The first ball will be bowled at 10.30 am TT time.

On Thursday, Seales spoke to journalists on Zoom about the series against Ireland.

Seales, an uncapped ODI player, said, “For me, I tend to set very realistic goals…I am not one to say I am going to have a dream debut and probably get five (wickets) on debut. That’s what I tend not to look forward to. I try to keep it as simple as possible, so if I get to play and get three wickets in the game or two wickets in a winning contribution or winning effort I will be very pleased with that.”

Sabina Park has been kind to Seales in his short Test career. Against Pakistan last year Seales grabbed a five-wicket haul.

Speaking about getting the opportunity to play at Sabina Park again, Seales said, “Yeah definitely (looking forward to playing at Sabina Park again). Playing somewhere you are comfortable and have confidence and have had success is always a good thing so being back here in Jamaica at Sabina Park obviously gave me that extra confidence…once given the opportunity is to repay the faith that the selectors have in me.”

Seales was one of the top bowlers in the 2021 Lanka Premier League (LPL) T20 which ended in December. Playing for the Jaffna Kings, Seales ended the competition as the joint third leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets despite playing just seven matches. He finished the competition with an economy rate of 7.81 and helped guide Kings to the title.

Seales said the LPL was a learning experience and he gained knowledge from the other fast bowlers in the Kings team.

“In terms of the fast bowling, I would hang around with Surunga Lakmal and Wahab Riaz. They would kind of mentor me in terms of my death bowling because I think that was my biggest struggle in the tournament, bowling my yorkers. Being around those guys gave me a little more confidence in my death bowling and helped me a lot throughout the tournament.”

Seales is off to a flying start in his career and knows eyes will be on him to perform.

Discussing how he plans to cope with any pressure, Seales said, “For me, I think I have been under pressure the majority of the time in my career thus far. I think I will be under pressure seeing I am the youngster and I have been performing as you said, so now the media and everyone would just look at me (and say) he has to perform, or if he does not perform the talk may come up that he is too young.”

Seales said he tries to not let the pressure get to him and just enjoy playing cricket.