Carlos Brathwaite adds missing exuberance to WI's campaign

Carlos Brathwaite does things his own way. There is the chunky G-Shock watch that he wears, even while batting, because he likes to keep track of time himself and not rely on the backroom staff. There is the fact that he owns his own bat company, Trident Sports, which he hopes will one day dominate the market in the Caribbean. And then there is the way he chose to celebrate his maiden Test wicket, a running slide on his knees after knocking over the captain with a high-five gone wrong.

"I just tried to get the slide," Brathwaite said. "Jase [Jason Holder] came, I tried to give him a touch, he almost took me out. Fortunately I was the one left standing. Then I went and got my slide in. It was just the energy and the adrenaline was pumping at that point in time. It wasn't a planned celebration but in the heat of the moment I just drew something out of the bag."

What has been most notable about Brathwaite's Test debut is the exuberance that he has brought, enthusiasm that was not clearly evident in the first Test in Hobart. In scoring 59 in his first Test innings, Brathwaite combined lusty blows and two lucky reprieves off no-balls with solid defence, and he ended up occupying 126 deliveries. And although he is disconcertingly slow for a bowler of near Joel Garner proportions, he is canny, and economical.

That his first Test wicket was David Warner is an achievement given Warner's remarkable recent run of form, the wicket arriving when Brathwaite angled in a short ball that Warner steered to Holder at gully. Asked after the day's play whether he had engaged in some verbal banter with Warner during the innings, Brathwaite said he did what he had to do in order to get himself and his team into the contest.

"It's been documented I bowl quite slow, which is true, so if the revs aren't on the ball from my hand then I need to have something inside to try to get myself up, try to show some aggression," Brathwaite said. "That's what I tried to do today, thankfully it worked.

"I don't know if it was heated. There's a war between bat and ball, West Indies and Australia. I don't take anything off the field personally, so if the opportunity presents itself I'll still have a drink with them after the Test. But out there representing West Indies and the couple of hundred thousand persons back home, I need to do everything to represent this badge and represent them, because everyone can't be here to do it for themselves."

To that end, Brathwaite put on a 90-run partnership with Darren Bravo for the seventh wicket and West Indies nearly made it through the first session of play unscathed. Brathwaite was lucky that James Pattinson twice was denied his wicket by overstepping - "I'll probably play lotto tonight," Brathwaite said - and their stand at least prevented West Indies from having to follow on, with Steven Smith reluctant to make his bowlers work too hard in one day.

"The game is still very, very far out of our hands and it will take a monumental effort to bring ourselves back into the game and even try to draw it or win it, but that's a challenge we'll look at tomorrow," Brathwaite said. "I was just happy that I could contribute to a fighting day's performance and hope that the fans in the West Indies get to put a smile back on their faces and realise that we're not just here for being here's sake, we actually want to compete and do well.

"I know I desperately want to represent the West Indies. It's the stuff dreams are made of. It's something I will hold dear to my heart every second I'm out there representing West Indies with that maroon cap on. I think the team spirit is there ... When performances aren't going well it's difficult to see energy, difficult to see how hard guys work. I don't think the wider public is seeing the effort that we put in, which is unfortunate."

Brathwaite did all of his fighting before lunch with a bat produced by a company that he owns, Trident Sports, its name and logo inspired by the flag of his home country Barbados. The company's mission statement is to provide quality, affordable sporting equipment easily accessible at all levels of play, and Brathwaite hopes he won a few more followers after his 59 on Test debut.

"Ultimately I want it to stand on its own two feet," he said. "By that I mean for it to be a noticeable brand worldwide. It's a Caribbean company so hope to conquer that market first, but eventually I'd like to broaden my horizon and be an internationally respected cricket brand."