BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Carlton Baugh Jr still harbours dreams of playing for West Indies again despite his indifferent performances in recent matches for the Caribbean side.

The Jamaica wicketkeeper/batsman acknowledges that regaining a place in the West Indies side would be difficult, especially with Denesh Ramdin having appeared to have established himself during the current series with England.

But the 26-year-old Baugh indicated that he is prepared to put in the hard work and will allow his performances on the field to speak for themselves.

"I do not think I have underachieved for West Indies, no, not all," said Baugh in a radio interview yesterday.

"When you are not playing the game at the highest level consistently, it will always be difficult to cope well. Getting a match here and there and not knowing if you are going to play is not the easiest thing for which to prepare.

"But I am definitely concentrating on getting a place back in the West Indies side. I am hoping to use the rest of the first-class season to convince the selectors, and that I continue to do as well as I am doing right now."

In five Tests, Baugh scored 196 runs at an average of 19.60 and in 30 one-day internationals, he accumulated 223 runs at 14.86.

Baugh, however, continues to be the only wicketkeeper/batsman - other than Ramdin - making strong claims for the position in the West Indies side.

On Sunday, he struck his 10th first-class hundred of08 before he was forced to retire hurt with a bruised arm, after he was struck by a lifting delivery from Javon Searles.

West Indies batsman Brendan Nash took over behind the stumps while Baugh nursed his injury.

"The arm is OK,Ó he said. "Nothing is broken, but there is a lot of soft-tissue damage - at least that's what the doctor said. I am just going to rest it so that I can be available for the next game."

His knock in Jamaica's second innings was Baugh's second hundred for the season, after he was initially overlooked for the wicketkeeper's position, following his return home from tours of the Middle East and New Zealand with West Indies.

"I was very disappointed that I was not picked for Jamaica when I returned from New Zealand,Ó he said.

"Coming back home from a West Indies (tour) and not being able to make your national team - it feels a way."

In the last two matches, Baugh has given the Jamaica selectors enough reasons to know that their decision was flawed. He made a triumphant return to the line-up with 129 in Jamaica's first innings of the previous match against Trinidad & Tobago at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Complex.

"I was under a lot of pressure, having just come back into the team and the team was 104 for five when I got to the wicket,Ó he said.

"I am not praising myself, but I thought to have made in a hundred in those circumstances was brilliant. I thought it was a good knock to have gotten us out of a crisis and put us back on top."