Kwazulu-Natal Round-up

Natal cricket's last overseas signing was the great Malcolm Marshall, and in their latest acquisition fellow West Indian Eldine Baptiste they have a professional of the same ilk.

Baptiste has come to Natal after eight successful seasons with Eastern Province and proved himself a top-class paceman during seven years with Kent in the County Championship. But, having turned 39 at the end of last season, the all-rounder's thoughts turned to his long-term future.

"I want to get into coaching and in Eastern Province there was no opportunity for that within their structure. The main attraction of the Natal offer was that I would be coming as a player/coach." Baptiste has signed a two-year contract with Natal and is adamant local fans can still expect plenty from him as a player. A proud professional like Marshall, his former team-mate in the West Indies team between 1983 and 1990, Baptiste has set himself lofty goals for the season ahead. "I want to take four wickets a game and concede no more than two runs an over. I'll also be looking to bat positively, be aggressive and take the other team on.

"I'll be looking to peak at the right time, which is why when I went to play in the Kent League over the winter I didn't do much bowling because I wanted to keep my body fresh."

Although more famous for his great accuracy than any great pace, Baptiste still retains the in-bred fieriness of any selfrespecting West Indian fast bowler. "When I can't push the batsman back on to his back foot, then I'll know it's time to retire," he says. "But, at the same time, I do hate going for runs. If you can stop the batsman from scoring, then you can cash in on the pressure you've built up."

Baptiste, who played 10 Tests and 43 limited-overs internationals, was part of the great West Indies teams of the B980s when scarcely a negative thought entered the minds of their cricketers and Natal will be looking to him to spark the players after the disappointments of last season.

As senior player Andrew Hudson says: "Things didn't go our way last year, but we're very confident we'll put up a good showing this season. After years of having him against us, it'll be great to have Eldine on our side and he adds tremendous value to our team.