Australia-born Brendan Nash on Thursday became the first white player to play Test cricket for the West Indies since the early 1970s
No hue & cry Australia-born batsman becomes first white player to represent WI in Tests since 1973
DUNEDIN: Australia-born Brendan Nash on Thursday became the first white player to play Test cricket for the West Indies since the early 1970s when he took the field for the first Test match against hosts New Zealand.
The 30-year-old batsman was brought up in Western Australia and played on and off for Queensland over seven seasons before moving to Jamaica last year.
He is the first white player to play a Test for the West Indies since Geoffrey Greenidge, who played five Tests after his debut against New Zealand in 1972.
Nash’s parents are from Jamaica and his father, Paul, represented Jamaica in swimming at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
Nash scored 157 for Queensland against South Australia in 2001-2002 and 176 against New South Wales the following season but was unable to hold on to a regular place in the state side.
Last year he travelled to the West Indies to watch the World Cup before deciding to stay in Jamaica to see if he could revive his cricketing fortunes.
“I had to break down a few barriers and I think once the Jamaican people realised that I wasn’t there just for myself, they let down their guards a bit and welcomed me a little bit more,” Nash said on Wednesday.
The 1.73-metre tall left-hander found himself singled out by fast bowlers when he first appeared for his adopted island.
“I was fresh meat, so to speak, someone to target. I got a lot of short pitched bowling, which is understandable,” he said.
Nash has played five one-day Internationals for the West Indies but believes he is better suited to the Test arena.
“I’m pretty consistent, I might not be the flashiest player but you know what you’re going to get with me,” he said.
Having cast his lot with the West Indies, he says he feels right at home in Jamaica.
“I love the rum and the reggae music. It’s just the dancing I’m not so good at.”
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