VASBERT Drakes is a busy man but would not complain if one further commitment was fitted into his schedule - a return to the West Indies side, writes PETE OLIVER.

The Todmorden professional will be getting through plenty of overs this summer in the Lancashire League following the departure of Ibra Ali.

But he will have little time to rest before joining Barbados for their Commonwealth Games campaign in Kuala Lumpur and Border for a winter season in South Africa.

And Drakes hopes his efforts around the world will earn him a recall to the international scene.

"The ultimate is to represent the West Indies," said the 28-year-old quickie who hopes a good showing at the inaugural Commonwealth cricket tournament will help his cause.

"I want to let the selectors know I am still capable of representing the West Indies and contributing to the set-up," he added.

Drakes' situation is complicated by his commitments with Border where he has played since 1996 and has another season to go under his current deal.

That rules him out of most of the domestic campaign in the Caribbean and precludes his selection for the West Indies side.

"My main aim is to represent the West Indies but I have got to make myself available. "I will honour my contract in South Africa and after that I will be looking at the situation," he said.

In the meantime Sussex's former overseas star, who toured England with the West Indies in 1995 and has five one-day caps, will be concentrating his efforts on improving Todmorden's fortunes in his first season in the Lancashire League.

He said: "The idea is to be in the top two or three in the competition. From what I have seen so far they are capable of playing good cricket and if they maintain that we will be a force in the league."

Todmorden - who were playing at Middleton in the Central Lancashire and Lancashire League Trophy today - have won just once in a rain-affected league programme but beat Rawtenstall in the Jennings Worsley Cup.

And Drakes has kept his part of the bargain with over 20 wickets so far despite the slow, damp wickets.

Two half centuries have also coincided with the two wins and against Church last Saturday he claimed 7-49.

One of his two wickets in the cup win was the match-winning one of Keith Arthurton and Drakes will face another top-class act when Todmorden entertain Roger Harper's Nelson tomorrow, although facing a fellow West Indian is no extra spur. "I look at it from a professional point of view," added Drakes. "When you play against a guy who can play, if you do well enough and get him out, it gives the side an incentive.

"Once you dislodge the professional it makes it easier for the amateurs."

Fixtures: Colne v Haslingden; Enfield v East Lancs; Lowerhouse v Bacup; Rawtenstall v Burnley; Ramsbottom v Church; Rishton v Accrington; Todmorden v Nelson

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