Roach: I want to be number one in the world

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Cricket365
September 15, 2014

West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach entered the top 10 on the ICC rankings for Test bowlers for the first time in his career recently, and says his aim is to remove Dale Steyn at the top of the pile.

Roach took yet another five-fer for the Windies this week, against Bangladesh at St Lucia, and he hopes his fine form will continue against stronger sides, and he'll continue to climb the rankings.

Roach said: "I want to get to number one in the world. So I am trying to take steps towards that and obviously keep taking wickets, keep moving up the rankings and keep helping West Indies win games.

"It feels good on a bowler-friendly wicket to hit the straps early. Getting some wickets against the Bangladeshis is a good feeling for me and for the West Indies as well."

He added of the state of the game after day two, with the Tigers on the brink of having to follow on: "We have seven wickets so far and hopefully we can come on tomorrow and finish the game."

Roach added that the wicket in St Lucia was helping him look good, after a flat track in St Vincent (though he did well there too): "This pitch was much-more bowler-friendly. Much more bounce in the wicket, the ball seaming around early on.

"The wicket in St Vincent was flat, very hard to bowl on and the guys, once they got set, it was hard to get them out. But here, they all gave chances with the ball.

"I was trying to be consistent on the good length outside off stump with the occasional bumper. They help you get rewards.

"I tried to break out of the box. The guys are not very friendly to short-bowling. I used it, set the batsmen back and set them up. I have been in good form for the last couple of months and I am going to take it on from there and take it on to further series."