Romario Shepherd hopeful for maiden IPL contract. "It's something I've dreamed about for a long time."

By January 24, 2022

The Indian Premier League is the most popular T20 franchise league in the world and many cricketers across the globe dream about playing in it one day.

West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd is no different.

The Guyanese fast bowler and right-handed batsman, who dazzled with the bat with an unbeaten 44 in the second T20 international between the West Indies and England yesterday, has put his name in the last three IPL auctions but is yet to be awarded a contract.

Speaking in a press conference today, Shepherd says the dream, which at this point is very close to reality, is still alive.

“It’s a great platform for any youngster. Many people dream to go to the IPL and I’m no different. It’s something that I’ve dreamed about for a very long time. My name was in the draft for the last three years so this year I’m definitely looking forward to it,” he said.

In the midst of a five-match T20I series with England at the moment, Shepherd says his full focus is on helping the West Indies win.

“I’m trying my best to get there but, at the same time, trying my best to help us win this series. I try to focus on what is at hand right now and try to put my all in there. Eventually, if an IPL contract comes that would be great for me but I try not to think about it while in the game,” Shepherd said.

Shepherd has so far played 11 T20 Internationals with 100 runs and eight wickets to his name.

The IPL player auction is scheduled to take place on February 12 and 13 and he will have another opportunity to enhance his reputation when the West Indies and England square off in the third of five T20 internationals in Barbados on Wednesday.

 

 

 

Bradley Jacks

Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.

Related items

  • Barbadian F2 sensation Maloney eyes improvements after third-place finish in Melbourne Barbadian F2 sensation Maloney eyes improvements after third-place finish in Melbourne

    Barbadian driving sensation Zane Maloney is focused on consistently improving his performances, as he seeks to continue building on his sweep of the Formula Two season-opening events.

    Maloney’s comments followed another positive weekend in Melbourne, Australia, where he again made the podium after finishing third in the feature race, on the heels of a 10th place finish in the sprint a day earlier.

    This latest podium adds to the 20-year-old’s sprint race and feature race victories on the opening weekend of the season in Bahrain.

    “Satisfied but of course we just need to keep making steps forward. I think we have showed the last three rounds that Bahrain wasn’t a fluke. We have had the pace each round. We just need to keep working on it,” Maloney said in a post-race press conference.

    “I think qualifying from my side is much better than last year. I just need to keep improving that. We have always been fast in the race and made good moves, so we just need to keep going. Everyone is catching up, so we need to keep performing well,” he added.

    In the feature race in Melbourne, Maloney, who drives for British team Rodin Motorsport, finished third behind 19-year-old French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar and 20-year-old Estonian Paul Aron.

    Two weeks ago in Jeddah, Maloney trailed in seventh in the feature and just missed out on a podium place in the sprint race when he ended fourth.

    He was left ruing his luck again last Saturday when a costly error left him down the field instead of near the podium.

    “Should have been a podium. From my side, I made a big mistake which lost me lots of places. But the second half of the race was really good from my side, so I am pleased with that. Happy to be back on (the podium after a) bit of a chaotic race. For sure the pace has been good all year so far. I think we have proved that each round. It is cool to have a clean Feature Race,” Maloney reasoned.

    The Bajan sensation’s next assignment will be the May 16-18 Grand Prix at Imola.

  • Joe Cole believes ‘the time is now’ as England head into Euro 2024 Joe Cole believes ‘the time is now’ as England head into Euro 2024

    Joe Cole feels like “the time is now” as England head into this summer’s European Championship.

    Gareth Southgate is preparing to take charge of his fourth and potentially last major tournament, having reached the World Cup semi-finals and quarter-finals as well as a continental final.

    England’s agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 showpiece remains raw but has only increased the squad’s desire to go one better in Germany.

    Cole believes those shared experiences are indicating this can be “a real positive summer”, with the former international excited by what Southgate’s side can achieve.

    “Listen, they were penalty kicks away from winning a tournament,” the former England international told the PA news agency. “There’s been semi-finals, quarter-finals – the experience is there now.

    “They have got young players in the squad, but they’re so experienced and so knowledgeable, as a team and as a group. You know, I think the time is now.

    “The only difference going into this tournament is there’s a little bit more expectation on them and it’s how do they cope with that, but I think they’ve got the right manager for that.

    “I think Gareth will manage the anxieties of the squad – of the team – and just keep them focused on the task in hand.

    “I think Gareth is in the right place. Very, very good character in that situation. I think it actually sort of would benefit to have someone of his character there.”

    Cole is well placed to analyse England’s chances having represented his country 56 times and worked as a pundit throughout the build-up to Euro 2024.

    The retired creative midfielder is also a former international team-mate of Southgate, who he believes deserves more appreciation for the job he has done in charge of the men’s team.

    “Factually, Gareth Southgate is the most successful England manager since Alf Ramsey,” Cole said.

    “If you’re going to have a discussion with someone and anyone’s picking holes out of it, that is the facts.

    “He’s taken the team deeper in tournaments than anyone and he’s just underappreciated. Underappreciated the job he’s done.”

    Cole – who has signed up to play in Soccer Aid for UNICEF on June 9 – was in the same 2002 World Cup squad as Southgate and part of the last England side to play in a major tournament in Germany.

    Sven-Goran Eriksson’s much-hyped ‘Golden Generation’ bowed out in the quarter-final stage of the 2006 World Cup and Cole believes things are better for the national team this time around.

    “It’s a different landscape,” Cole said. “We had different problems to deal with than this group of players.

    “When you go into a tournament, you need moments to happen for you. Every tournament we played in, it was either a penalty shoot-out or it was a sending off or an injury.

    “These big moments went against us, but ultimately I feel this group are better educated from a footballing perspective.

    “I feel where we are in England – in terms of how we play football – is the right way now.

    “I feel for many, many years, we weren’t playing in the right way tactically, so I think this group have been brought up under a different system. Underneath it all, I think ultimately they’re better equipped because of that.”

    England continued their Euro 2024 preparations with Saturday’s late 1-0 loss to Brazil and even later Jude Bellingham goal in the 2-2 draw with Belgium three days later.

    Southgate’s side have two further warm-up friendlies against Bosnia and Iceland in June, with the squad due to fly out to Germany the day after Cole pulls on an England shirt once again in Soccer Aid.

    “It’s always nice to go back and play at Stamford Bridge,” he said of the June 9 clash against a World XI at former club Chelsea.

    “It always surprises me how popular it is. The kids love it, people tune in, it’s a real family occasion.

    “It’s great to be part of and it’s just one of them things that’s a win-win all round for everybody. We love doing it and most importantly it’s for a great cause.”

    :: Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024 takes place on June 9 at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, with tickets available at www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets

  • Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware

    Surrey are determined to give departing director of cricket Alec Stewart a successful send-off.

    It was announced last week that Stewart would step down from his role at the end of 2024 after a decade in the post.

    Stewart, 60, has overseen the development of several England internationals, alongside guiding Surrey to three County Championship titles, and a number of key figures in the team are eager to help him sign off with more silverware.

    Red-ball captain Rory Burns said: “It can be an emotional driver if that is the way you are inclined.

    “The way we try to operate, we look at what our process is and what we want to do day to day. It would be nice to send the gaffer out with another Championship win, but we’ve got a lot of hard work to do before that.”

    England batter Ollie Pope missed the meeting at Kia Oval where Stewart, in typically modest fashion, told the group of his decision in a brief manner before he turned the focus on to trying to produce another successful campaign.

    Former England wicketkeeper Stewart, who has helped care for his wife through her cancer battle since 2013, played a key role in Pope’s journey from Surrey academy graduate to vice-captain of the Test team.

    “I sadly missed a meeting when he announced it to the boys, but I had a phone call with him straight after and, yeah, I felt gutted,” Pope admitted.

    “I can’t imagine a club where you don’t see Stewie in every morning. I think he’s in at 6am every day on the rowing machine or on the treadmill or doing some weights, but that’s because he loves the club and loves being here.

    “And he’s also ridiculous at his job as well. The way he sort of makes you feel like you’ve got a personal relationship, but he’s also got the job to give you your contracts or release you.

    “I’ve got a great picture of him giving me my Surrey under-eight player-of-the-year award, which is one I’ll always have. He presented me with my England cap, again the video and the pics of that are seriously special.

    “Every player in the club and every member of the coaching staff feels like they’ve just got so much to owe him because whether he sees the talent in you or sees the good person in you, he sort of brings it out.

    “So he’s going to be a massive, massive loss for the club. It’s going to be sad when he leaves, but hopefully we can win a couple of trophies for him this year to give him a good send off.”

     

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Vitality County Championship (@countychampionship)

     

    Stewart brought Ben Foakes to the club from Essex in 2015.

    Foakes added: “I was trying to think the other day if there is anyone that has done more for English cricket after their playing career and I couldn’t think of anyone.

    “He is going to obviously be massively missed.

    “It will be a huge blow for us, but he has earned his break and to switch off a bit.

    “The amount he has given to the group and the club as a whole, it would be the icing on the cake and good to send him off with one (trophy).”

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.