AN UNHAPPY RYAN HINDS left Barbados yesterday for a third stint in Dubai, lamenting his exclusion from the national cricket team for the second consecutive year.
Hinds, 32, who has played 120 first-class matches since making his debut in 1998, is departing after being overlooked by the national selectors for the upcoming NAGICO Super50 Cup.
He will captain the Wings franchise in the Team Owners Body Two-day Tournament in the United Arab Emirates and will be joined by another out-of-favour Barbados batsman in his ICBL Empire teammate, Alcindo Holder, who is due to leave on Friday.
“I am very hurt and disappointed about how I have been treated in the last two years around Barbados’ cricket. I am really crestfallen to be quite honest,” Hinds told MIDWEEK SPORT a few hours before heading to the Grantley Adams International Airport.
He revealed that in communication with chairman of selectors Hendy Wallace he was told when he was omitted last year that he was still in their plans.
“They told me that they were looking to expose some players and that I was still part of their plans. I was asked to continue to work hard with the BCA [Barbados Cricket Association] coaches. I did that and I even did some technical and fitness work,” he said.
In 58 matches for Barbados, Hinds has scored 1477 runs at an average of 32.82 and captured 61 wickets at an average of 20.84 with an economy rate of 3.54 runs per over. Only veteran fellow left-handed batsman Floyd Reifer, who now represents the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC)?has scored more runs than Hinds for Barbados in one-day cricket.
Hinds played in the final trial match at the Desmond Haynes Oval when he scored 12 and took 3-26 in 10 tidy overs, but he claimed he “is in the dark” as to why he wasn’t selected.
“I have a good relationship with everybody. I’ve been supportive of all the Barbados captains and I hold no malice for anyone in Barbados cricket. No bad reports have been written against me to the best of my knowledge in terms of my discipline,” Hinds noted.
“Yes, I am a very aggressive person and I play my cricket aggressively but that’s where I get my adrenalin rush and this has been responsible for my good performances for the last decade reprseenting Barbados,” said Hinds, who amassed 6 753 runs at an avearge of 38.15 and scored 12 first-class centuries while taking 227 wickets at an average of 27.34.
Hinds said he is scheduled to return to Barbados on March 4 and will again make himself available for national selection.
“I am using this opportunity to go to Dubai to better my cricket and coaching skills and obviously open doors for other players in Barbados and the Caribbean but I have not given up hope about playing for Barbados again or the West Indies.
“I still have a lot to offer Barbados. I really want to play in the 2015 World Cup. That was one of my personal goals and obviously the CPL (Caribbean Premier League). I understand the criteria for selection for the CPL is that you play in the 50-over and four-day competitions so if I am not involved, that will be a setback,” Hinds noted.
Hinds said another disappointment for him was when he was not given an opportunity to defend the title the year immediately after he successful captained Barbados in the 2010 regional 50-over competition, sharing the title with the Leeward Islands.
