Brief profile of Daren Powell by Matthew Reed

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Player:

DBL Powell

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DateLine: 12th December 2005

 

Daren Powell is one of the current generation of West Indian fast bowlers who have the massive task of filling the shoes of Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose. Although not in the same class as his gallant predecessors, he is at least a sparky and competitive cricketer. This shows through in his bowling and batting, where he is one of the few batsmen left in Test cricket who still occasionally dons a cap to receive pace bowling.

 

Powell’s consistently excellent form for Jamaica has made him one of the most consistently dangerous bowlers in West Indian domestic cricket in the last five years. He has also had spells with Gauteng in South Africa and Derbyshire in England, although without achieving the same success. Indeed, Powell stated that his First-class debut for Derbyshire in May 2004 (where he had match figures of 2-132) was the hardest match of his career.

 

His Test career has been a spluttering one so far, although the fact that he enjoyed an individually great series against Sri Lanka in 2005 (9 wickets at 21.00) proves he has the nous and intelligence to adapt to bowling in different (and unhelpful) conditions. Despite suffering along with his colleagues against Australia in their 3-0 series defeat in November 2005, Powell at least had sufficient control to be kept as one of the West Indian opening bowlers. Powell had re-entered the team when the Cable & Wireless contracts fiasco led seven players to be unavailable for the start of the series against South Africa in March 2005. The unstable and unpredictable state of contemporary Caribbean cricket means that Powell could play 75 more Tests or none. In more prosperous times Powell may not have had an international career, although his whole hearted commitment will not go amiss as the West Indies seek to revitalise their cricketing fortunes.

 

December 2005

 

(Article: Copyright © 2005 Matthew Reed)