By Neto Baptiste
Former West Indies fast bowler and President of the Liberta Sports Club Kenneth Benjamin has congratulated all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall on his debut to the senior men’s team in the second Test against India in Jamaica.
Benjamin, who coaches the Liberta Blackhawks for which Cornwall features on the local front, said the player joins a long and illustrious list of cricketers from this country to have appeared for the regional Test side.
“I just want to congratulate Rahkeem on making his debut and he would be one of many Antiguans to have worn the West Indies colours at the international level. I think this will be about 15 [Antiguans] who would have played Test, but I think there is more who would have played international cricket; because Devon Thomas and so on. But I am just happy for Rahkeem and it is now all in his hands,” he said.
Cornwall debuted for West Indies in the Test which started on Friday and had claimed one wicket and taken two catches going into the tea interval.
Benjamin said the Blackhawks will celebrate Cornwall’s debut at their club house on Friday night.
“And definitely, there will be a party in Ball Beef later [Friday night] at Hungry Friday and especially once the game gets started and we see him out there for real,” he said.
West Indies were beaten by 318 runs in the first Test played here at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground last week. Cornwall was, controversially, not selected for that game.