The only sound Peter Forrest wants to hear other than wedding bells this Easter is leather slapping on willow to a backdrop of Calypso steel drums.
Forrest’s determined 66 has the 26 year-old firming for selection for the national team’s tour to the Caribbean in March-April.
Selection however would mean postponing his wedding to fiancee Rachel Barker.
“The team’s not even picked yet so that’s a long way down the track,” said Forrest.
“But…if I keep scoring runs and get picked we’ll make the tough decision then.
“I’m pretty sure if I get picked there’s only one thing to do … I’m definitely going to the West Indies,” he added with a laugh.
Forrest, a budding rugby league hopeful who played junior football against Brisbane Broncos halfback Peter Wallace before taking up cricket, moved from NSW to Queensland this summer in the hope of getting more time at the crease.
He can further push his case for the West Indies if selectors opt to keep him in the team for Friday’s one-day international against Sri Lanka in Hobart.
After jumping on a plane at 6.15am on Monday to fly back to Brisbane, Forrest said his 66-run debut, which earned a “well done” from captain Michael Clarke, hadn’t really sunk in.
“Yesterday was a great day and one I’m not going to forget,” he said.
Most players would happily accept a half century in their international debut but Forrest said the narrow loss had taken some of the gloss off his special day.
“It’s a team sport and we needed a win,” he said.
“It was nice to contribute but it would have been a lot nicer had I got 80 plus or a hundred and got the side to a win.”
Despite the pressure of the special occasion and being presented with his cap by Ricky Ponting, Forrest showed a cool head and strong mind.
“The way I play for Queensland is I usually go out and scrap around and do it my way and fortunately it paid off,” he said of his debut performance.
Forrest has introduced some technical changes to stiffen his batting but believes knowing he has a permanent home in Queensland’s side is the secret to his confident batting which has netted him three centuries already this summer.
by Buford Balony
