Photo Credit: Cricket West Indies
1. Cricket is his life.
The young Dominican batsman cannot even imagine how it would feel if he were to get his cap in the upcoming series. Known for his love of the game by his peers and others who have seen him shadow batting in the streets throughout the years, Alick has always wanted to play international cricket and would be a dream come through to receive the maroon baggy. The way he views his purpose as a member of the squad is very simple, “I am only here for one job, and it is to make the West Indian people proud!” Alick exclaimed when asked about the Maroon Fans’ support.
2. Getting dropped by his franchise was his turning point.
“Some of the worst things that happen in life, are actually the best things that happen to you. Pain prepares you for what is to come” These are two phrases Alick used to describe his journey. Having been dropped by his franchise, the Windward Islands Volcanoes early in his professional career, he thinks it taught him that he needed to be always a step ahead and is a big part of the reason he is where he is today. That allowed him to go back home, go back to the drawing board and acquire the mental fortitude necessary to contribute to his own success.
3. Youth cricket prepared him for this level.
Alick was a part of the West Indies U19 team in the 2018 U19 World Cup and stood out amongst his peers even at that age. He ended the competition as the leading run-scorer, which he reckons gave him great confidence to go forward in his career, knowing that he was able to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world. At that point, he already knew he wanted to be a professional cricketer and the support from his parents and coaches, coupled with his borderline obsession for the sport, has continuously pushed him towards his target.
4. Discipline is very important to him.
During his period without a regional contract, while there were a few technical areas that Alick needed to correct, majority of the work he did was mental. Remaining disciplined and managing himself better were the main changes he made. Due to natural talent and lower quality opposition at youth level, he was unable to attain those attributes earlier. “I mention bad balls there, but here you rarely get bad balls here. So, I think right now I it’s about me learning and understanding my game a little more.”
5. He missed the call from the lead selector.
Alick was in a Windward Islands team meeting during the West Indies Championship when he received the call from Desmond Hayne, the lead selector of West Indies Cricket. He then received a message saying to call him back, which all but confirmed to the 24-year-old that he was selected in a West Indies squad. He was not surprised, but he was extremely excited.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) governs cricket across the West Indies, a confederation of Caribbean countries. Originally established as the West Indies Cricket Board of Control in the 1920s, it became the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in 1996 and was rebranded as Cricket West Indies in May 2017 as part of a restructuring effort.
