January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
'I didn't think I'd make it'
Glenn’s glad to be back thanks to ‘girly’ training
'I didn't think I'd make it'
The talented middle order batsman, who returned to the national set up with a blaze of runs last year, saw his comeback curtailed by a recurring injury which kept him out of the recent Caribbean tour.
Blakeney feared his chances of making the plane to South Africa were finished when an MRI revealed an injury to his lower back after he broke down in pain on the trip to Argentina.
But after six weeks of intensive rehab, he passed a fitness test on Monday and was named in the squad for next month's tournament.
"I didn't think I was going to make it and I'm just glad now to be in this position.
"If I don't score some runs now I'll be very disappointed. I'm looking forward to going out there and leaving it all on the field."
Blakeney said he had to be discipline himself to carry out a routine of Pilates, rehab work at Bermuda Bodyworks with his physio Raynor Steede, cycling and running on his own while the rest of the squad toured the Caribbean.
"It wasn't like any training I'd ever done before. All this girly stuff like Pilates was new to me but after a while I really started enjoying it.
"I didn't have anyone looking over my shoulder every five minutes, I had to have the discipline to do it myself. It was really important to me to make it. I know how important it is for Bermuda to get back to the World Cup or at least to retain our One Day status."
Blakeney said he had lost 11 pounds and reduced his body fat by two per cent over the past six weeks.
He was set to get back in the nets last night for his first session with the bat since Argentina. But he believes his lack of time in the middle won't be a hindrance. "The practice games will be important for me but I don't need a lot of time to get my form back.
"I've just come off two successful tours and I feel I can play my part. I don't mind where I bat. I'll play whatever role I need to for the team."
Blakeney knows there is plenty of competition for places in the middle order but feels he is worth a place in the starting line-up.
"At one stage I was not too sure if I would make this tour and if I felt I couldn't contribute I wouldn't have gone - I'm not that selfish.
"But my rehab has gone well and I'm ready to go out there and get the business done. I think this squad is very strong. I wouldn't have liked to be in the selectors' position. They had a lot of good players to choose from."[[In-content Ad]]
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