I want to hit sixes: Mascarenhas
England all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas feels that finding the boundary ropes more consistently will help him regain his place in the national side.
Big-hitter Dimitri Mascarenhas, who was last seen in action for his country in June 2009, wants to establish his place in the national side after being called up to represent England in the five-match one day international series against West Indies starting next week.
The all-rounder who normally comes to bat during the end of the innings feels that boundaries will hold him in good stead if he has to seal a berth in the national side.
He said, “"I'm in a no-lose situation - if I get out (hitting boundaries) then it's because I have to go for runs. At the top of the order there is a bit more responsibility."
"I can't really comment on batting early in the innings because I mostly do it at the end so it's easier for me to go in and do that.”
The 31-year-old Mascarenhas added, "At the death it's a little bit different because all you're looking to do is hit it out of the park, but all I want to do is hit sixes."
The lower-middle-order batsman, and medium pace bowler, insists that different people have a different role in the team and that he regularly practices dispatching the ball beyond the boundary ropes for a six, although he notes that the art of hitting regular sixes is, “one of those things where some people can do it and some people can't.”
Mascarenhas is most commonly known for his exploits of hitting India’s Yuvraj Singh for five sixes in a row at The Oval in 2007.
Mascarenhas, who is contracted to last year’s winning franchise at the Indian Premier League - Rajasthan Royals, feels that Twenty20 cricket has enhanced the importance of clearing the boundary ropes.
“It has probably come from Twenty20 cricket because obviously in Twenty20 you need to hit as many boundaries as possible and you can pretty much go at it from ball one and Twenty20 has obviously enhanced that a lot."
With the IPL slated to begin on April 10, Mascarenhas will look forward to carry on his hard hitting ways with the Shane Warne-led, defending champions, Rajasthan Royals in the forthcoming season.
Unlike other England players who will only participate in the second IPL season for three-weeks, Otago has given Mascarenhas permission to play for the entire tournament this year.