Sluggo retires from international cricket

Spin king Dwayne 'Sluggo' Leverock has pulled the plug on his international cricket career for the second time in two years.

The 39 –year-old left-arm orthodox spinner announced his retirement from international cricket after being overlooked for selection to Bermuda’s World Cricket League Division Two squad that will compete in Dubai next month.

Leverock leaves the international arena with 34 one–day international wickets to his credit at an average of 33.02.

He also claimed 71 first-class wickets with career best figures of seven for 57 achieved during Bermuda’s Intercontinental Cup debut against the U.S. at the National Sports Centre in 2004.

Leverock had the distinction of representing Bermuda at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, where his stunning one-handed grab in the slips to dismiss India’s Robin Uthappa catapulted him to cult status.

He said: “Playing in the World Cup is something I always dreamed about from a very young age and now that I have played in it and people still recognize and talk about me is something I really enjoy.

“I’ve really enjoyed representing Bermuda — I will never forget the experience.”

Omission

“I have given Bermudians a sense of pride and I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to show the world that Bermuda does have quality players.”

Leverock’s exclusion from Bermuda’s World Cricket League Division Two squad might have come as a surprise to some given the pitches in Dubai tend to suit the slower bowlers.

“The slow bowlers should be able to reign supreme down there because the wickets are slower.

“Hopefully the slower seamers and spinners will do their jobs,” added Leverock, who is confident off-spinners Delyone Borden and Rodney Trott will be equal to the task in Dubai.

The past Male Athlete of the Year Award recipient believes the selectors have assembled a nucleus of players capable of obtaining positive results at next month’s tournament.

He said: “We have quite a few batsmen in the team that can chase down good scores. And as far as the bowling is concerned I think we just have to stay competitive as a unit and hopefully we can bowl teams out or restrict them.

Coaching

“I wish the team good luck and hope they do Bermuda proud. I just hope we can come away with some decent results to keep us in Division Two so that we can get some funding to provide more of our younger players overseas exposure.”

With his international career now behind him, Leverock has turned his focus to acquiring coaching certification and helping along the next generation of cricketers. He will play out his remaining days in the sport at the domestic level. I might even try and coach at the national level.”     

As for the omission of his nephew Kamau Leverock from the senior national team, the veteran spinner commented: “He’s okay, and I think he will be in the team for the next tournament (Twenty/20 World Cup qualifiers).

He has to deal with school commitments, which is very important, at the moment. But I think he will definitely be in the senior national team in the future.”