BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Moments after bowling the West Indies to a huge victory over Zimbabwe, Shane Shillingford called it his “best performance ever” as he celebrated the nine-wicket win. It took the West Indies just two days and two hours to beat the visitors at Kensington Oval as they took a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
The tall off-spinner marked his return to international cricket with a career-best 6-49 on Thursday as Zimbabwe succumbed for 109 in the second innings. He ended the match with nine wickets. He was well backed by Shannon Gabriel, who bowled with sustained pace and hostility to take 3-10 in his second Test match.
Shillingford said he rated the performance higher than the 10-wicket match haul he had against Australia on his home ground at Windsor Park in Dominica last year.
For the West Indies, it was their fifth consecutive Test win. The previous victories were against New Zealand in Antigua and Jamaica in August, 2012 and against Bangladesh in Dhaka and Khulna last November.
Shillingford said: “I would rate this as my best performance ever. When I got the 10 wickets against Australia last year we didn’t win the match so there wasn’t anything to celebrate. Today, I got six and ended with nine in the match. We have something to celebrate – we won the match big and I’m happy to be part of it. That makes it special!”
Shillingford, who turned 30 last month, played his last Test match in England last June and had to fight his way back into the team. He was very impressive in the WICB Regional 4Day tournament so far this season with 24 wickets in three matches – which included his 300th wicket in first-class cricket.
“I played a couple of games here during the first-class season and picked up wickets. I just gave it my all…I tried to bowl a consistent line first up and then tried to spin the ball as much as possible,” he said.
“Before the match the captain and the coach spoke to us about the importance of this match and the series and the need to win and make it five straight wins. I was confident from the time I came into the match. I always do well when I play at Kensington against Barbados so I came into this match knowing I had a crucial role to play.
Shillingford added: “I was quite surprised to see how helpful the pitch was from the first day so I decided to exploit it. I was able to get spin and bounce and that was great for me. I knew after that all I had to do was get the ball in the right areas and I would get my reward.”
Ok Dominicans, when Shane gets the ball for the first time on Wednesday! if we bowling first! I want every Dominican in the Stadium to stand up and cheer! and every Dominican around the World,also! so that positive energy can channel through to Shane, and run down through to his bowling fingers, so he can spin that ball, and Fazeer’s head!
boy we need more DA man on that team. man from bioche man from la pwet man from la plaine man from penville. come on da man lets show them what dasheeen qwapo and kayee can do.
ya man shane do your thing and we a going to shut up Fazeer Mohammed for that kind of article he wrote about u on the Trinidad Express newspaper
Just went to read it. Them man do not like Shilly boy…!!!!!! They are putting blows on him, but Shilly is the best test spinner in the West Indies at the present time. WHO VEX DIE!
Congratulations Shane. Praise the Lord for giving you great success. When you are given the opportunity grab it with both hands. When not, still enjoy yourself whereever you ball – be it for West Indies, be it for Windwards just as you have been doing. May the good Lord bless you always.
great peformance. keep the momentum going shane.
Congrats Mr. Shane Shillingford! Your achievements are definitely laudable.
The west Indies board on the other hand should be ashame of their selective and descriminative treatment of you. How can all this talent be kept down since june last year?
good work watching all the from china hopefully the selectors will stop over looking the eastern Caribbean
what they expect, pipe on them, Sydicate fig and shushot!!! Don’t stop
Good luck shane.
%%%%%% is back: Shane Shillingford’s 6 for 49 is the best performance by a West Indies bowler against Zimbabwe. It is also the third best performance by a spinner in Barbados.
Shillingford’s match haul of 9 for 107 is his second best in Tests. It is also the second best match figures by a West Indies spinner since 1990. The best also belongs to Shillingford.
West Indies’ nine-wicket win is their fifth in seven Tests against Zimbabwe. They have won each of the three home matches.
Zimbabwe’s total of 107 is their fourth lowest against West Indies.
Shane i have your cricketing statistics under so much scrutiny, rthat you will find it amazing.
Good game… Go for it at Windsorpark…
Oh yay way to go Shane… I really hope he gets a motor cade and a big jam to celebrate his achievement!
Come on. A motorcade?? Are you serious?? It’s time that we Dominicans start behaving like we belong than some pitiful overachievers.
IT does not always have to be a big jam,or a big motor cade. What about using this young mans achievements to channel positive inspiration to our youths of the land, have him adress the School children and be a positive role model to them. Sewo have its place sometimes those gestures are short lived and forgotton too quickly.
congratulations to my da brother keep on aspiring make dominica proud
Congratulations Shane!!! Here is a prime example of someone all Dominicans should recognize and say “We are proud of you!” We need to support our home-grown talent. We love to praise (artists, performers, musicians, actors etc.) people we don’t even know and don’t care about us or Dominica. But to our own, we say, “I not in that.” Well, I in that!
Dominicans can and are doing great things! Keep working hard and Congratulations on your success once again young man!!!
what about that ?Isn,t it good to see him doing well What about the so called mistry spinner.NARINE? it goes to show the prejudice police in the selectors of the carribbean
Shane, I am very proud of you. When you go out there always do your best because I can bet you, give Australia a chance, they going to try to destroy your career. They going to question you bowling action and get the committee to send you to remediation. Just look at those before you like Taylor. Just do your best son and we will handle the rest!!
Shane God has helped you to persevere and overcome all your challenges and setbacks. When I see you spinning excitedly like a child after taking a wicket and pleading seriously with the umpire for caught behind or LBW decision, I know for sure that your weeping did endure for just a night but joy has most certainly come to you and your supporters in the morning. Keep working hard my boy and remain constructively dissatisfied and always remember to enjoy the cricket.
Shane God has helped you to persevere and overcome all your challenges and setbacks. When I see you spinning excitedly like a child after taking a wicket and pleading seriously with the umpire for caught behind or LBW decision, I know for sure that your weeping did endure for just a night but joy has most certainly come to you and your supporters in the morning. Keep working hard my boy and remain constructively dissatisfied and always remember to enjoy the cricket.
We Dominicans too like to jump on people’s success train with our fake ‘congratulations’. so much tie up they wanted to have shane in and now his talent speaking for itself everybody on bandwagon braying congratz
Go back to the time he took the ten wickets and you will see that many people congratulated Shane then.
well done Shane Dublanc is always there with you we always know you can achieve great things keep doing what you are doing and give god thanks we love shaney
you are already 30 there’s no reason to keep u out of west indies team now,well done again keep the caribbean sprite on we are all proud.
Congrats Shane,but again we must “THINK”
Let the dude keep bowling…
According to one of the Ten Cricket Commentators
Hinted yesterday, Shane will not get friendly Conditions like that to him World over..
He still has to prove his strength on overseas Tours that’s when you get Fully Rated on all Pitches…
So the Praise is well good and deserved but should Not come as a overkill..
Let the Dude keep bowling we are watching…
Windies over the recent times don’t hold spinners If they can’t win matches.if he can’t come up with The goods on a game or two the windies selectors Wont hold on..folks need to understand issues and Patterns of Institutions..
Let the dude keep bowling and don’t let it get to Him..the Dude needs to be relax and just do his Think….Come on we sound like the World is about To End, we don’t control destiny!
Remember, Narine did not do better than Shane in England and he was still kept on the team; it is not because of overseas performance that Shane is being left out so much. Only the selectors know what they are up to. We can figure it out though.
Mr. Matt Peltier was today,seeking for recognition of Shane Shillingford. Matt is aware who runs the Ministry of Sports,so what does he expect. I can remember when Mr. Irvine Shillingford had scored his test century,I believe in Guyana,on his return to Dominica, Mr. Patrick John,Prime Minister at the time, had a motorcade organized from Jimmit to Roseau. The same night he was also recognized at a party at the President’s House and given the Sissero Award.
Shane was made an Ambassodor by the PM….He has a diplomatic passport…
Shane Large
You are just showing the world what we knew a long time now. Keep up your good performances. Show them that you can’t keep a good man down. Dominicans rally around Shane next week!
Yes I…Shaneoh…well done! Hats of you to! Continue making us proud. We Will support you every step of the way. Stay humble…but have great expectations…!
Oh…me ah fihget one ting….Ministry of Sports take heed.
Nothing but hero’s welcome fih ah fih me bwoiy Shane ok! Red carpet…don’t give he no alchol …me ah need he ah fih pohform cause me soon come ayard fii ah me autograph…! Tanty at de Oval..Shaneoh at de pitch…Clean bowl!
Congratulations Mr. Shillingford and the entire West Indies team.
Show them how it’s done
We are prous of you Shane;I also give Sammy credit for his performance and captaincy Shane need too perform on his batting as well you stand a better chance to stay on the squad longer.If Shane fail on one test a possibity he’ll be drop Shane please try to score runs make us be prouder.
bowlers are not usually strong batters be real the bowling is very important,keep up the good work shane
Grell, in today’s game everyone needs to contribute multiple facets of the game. The days when bowlers only thought their job was to bowl is over. Granted he may not be strong with the bat, but at least he should work in the nets at holding his end for the better batsman. Sometimes that is all that is needed – just hold your end.
congratulations shane, job well done.make us prouder when you come on home ground. i will be cheering you on, if god spares
well done shane. i do have confidence in u and keep making dominica proud. i do hope we celebrate a victory in dominca this month when u guys play seeing all the support we give to u guys.
Nice job Shane. Maintain that consistency and Narine will be a passenger on the team. Don’t give them any excuses not to pick you.
Remember he took ten wickets in a match? Remember he was not given man of the match? Remember he was not picked for the next series even with his excellent performance? So, it is not for lack of performance that he is not picked. It is on the selectors whim.
Great job Shane. Keep striving to do better every time you play. It is important to have a good record in test cricket. Keep a cool head. Dominica and the rest of the West Indies are behind you.
Well done Shane! Now bring the same spirit to Dominica for the Second Test! I am looking forward to some exciting action at the Windsor Park Stadium next week – Rally, rally ’round the West Indies!
congrats keep it up
Way to go Shane Shillingford you are making Dominican proud. congratulation to you and the West Indies team.
SHANE SHILLINGFORD YOU ARE THE BEST SPINBOWLER, SHOW THE WORLD YOU ARE THE BEST.
Wow, I’ve got goosebumps. Well done Shane, Well Done!!!!!!
that’s an impressive performance… hope they keep shillingford for the long haul… at that pace, he may end up being a W.I. great…
Hmm, awah. You forget Shane come from a ‘small island’. We are not recognized.
doh say that nuh! oh cho man!
I agree with you. Is true dat. So my take on that is when they give the man the opportunity, by the grace of the Lord, he just have to go out there and show them.