Baugh confident of carrying form in to World Cup

Carlton Baugh, the West Indies wicketkeeper, has made the most of his surprise re-call to the West Indies side. He had not played international cricket since 2008 when he was included in the squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in 2010, but grabbed the opportunity, scoring a half-century in the second Test of the rain-hit series, and was included in the World Cup squad.

In the ODI series against Sri Lanka, played in January 2011 after being rescheduled, Baugh got scores of 28 not out and 49, giving notice of the threat he poses as an aggressive lower-order batsman. "I see every game as a major opportunity to make a contribution to the team and to West Indies cricket," Baugh said. "I am really focussed on the job and I am making strides forward. Since I returned to the team unit I have a more positive outlook on my game."

With no other specialist wicketkeeper in West Indies' fifteen for the World Cup, Baugh is almost sure to be a part of the starting XI, a situation that didn't seem likely three months ago. West Indies appeared to be grooming young wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, but after he failed to improve his form with the bat - he averaged 17.66 in 14 ODIs in 2010 - the 28-year-old Baugh, who was an important member of Jamaica's winning side in the 2009-10 Regional Four-Day Competition, was called up.

Baugh says he has made some changes to his game since he last turned out for West Indies in 2008. "I have made a few changes to my approach and the way I do things. I try not to put too much pressure on myself and not burden myself with too much. I look to go out and play my natural game and stick to the team plans.

"I am in pretty good form and I will be looking to take that form in to the World Cup. I know what is required of me behind the stumps and with the bat, and I am clear in my mind how to go about doing the job."

West Indies go in to the World Cup having slipped to No. 9 in the ICC one-day rankings and have not beaten a Test side in an ODI since June 2009. They play two warm-up games, against Kenya on February 12 and Sri Lanka on February 15, before their first match of the tournament, against South Africa on February 24.