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Bailey’s Bay seam bowler Jim West has left his old man with an extra workload at their family fishing business over the past few months.

But Blake West, who owns and runs Earlybird Fishing Charters, won’t mind spending a few extra hours out on the water, if it means his son can realize his dream of playing for Bermuda.

The 22-year-old right-armer is doing his family proud out in Pretoria.

And he is hoping the intensive training regime will help him force his way into Gus Logie's World Cup plans.

“I’ve left my dad with all the work, but he’s behind me all the way. He just said, go for it, it's the experience of a lifetime.

“It’s a big difference from Bermuda but it's been really good. The people are fantastic, it’s a beautiful country and a wonderful experience so far.”

He said the fitness training had been intense and a shock to the system for part-time cricketers.

West, is used to spending more time on the boat, than in the gym.

But a schedule that includes 7am jogs, sessions in the pool, pilates and weight training, has really awakened him to the requirements of elite sports.

“The strength and the fitness has been the main things we’ve been working on. That’s the biggest difference.”

But West has also been working hard with bowling coach Bob Cottam, a former England fast bowler, to improve his action and develop more consistency.

“They video taped my bowling and analysed it and pointed out a few things I could change.

“Over the last few weeks I’ve been working on a few things and developing more consistency. I’ve got a lot more accuracy and I’m learning how to swing the ball.

“I'm definitely a better bowler than when I left Bermuda.”

West is hoping his experience in South Africa will translate to more wickets and more runs in the domestic league as he tries to impress ahead of the World Cup in 2007.

And he knows he'll be able to catch a few breaks from his employer when it comes to needing time off for tours or training.

West is from a big cricket family. His dad set up the West XI team along with his uncle Steve West, who runs the evening cricket league and is also a qualified umpire. And it would be as much a dream come true for them as it would for Jim, if he were to play in the World Cup.

Steve added: “He used to play for the West XI as a 12-year-old and he’s come up through the ranks.

“We are all proud of what he’s doing in South Africa and I think he’s got a great chance of making the squad. We'll be over the moon, if he does.”[[In-content Ad]]

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