West Indies and Jamaica batsman Jermaine Blackwood has pointed to advice from friend and compatriot, T20 star Andre Russell, as a crucial factor in his recent run of good form.

The 29-year-old middle-order batsman has been the team’s top scorer for the past two series, combining for a total of 427 runs at an average of 42.70.  In England, he crafted a match-winning 95 in the first Test against England and a stubborn 104 against New Zealand, which helped stave off an evil more lopsided defeat.

Following an impressive start to his career, which included a century soon after Blackwood endured a lean spell, which saw him dropped from the squad for several.  During that time, the player adjusted his approach to the game and Russell was one of those that helped him do it.

“Me and Russell did a lot of talking because we are very close.  We did a lot of talking about me not scoring, scoring more 100s because that is a thing I need to improve on and I’m slowly improving,” Blackwood told members of the media from Bangladesh on Tuesday.

“When I started playing for the West Indies, I was young and excited I just wanted to play a lot of shots and put the bowlers under pressure,”

he added.

“He gave me a lot of pointers, not because he only plays T20, he only played one Test match, but he is a guy who knows the cricket and I think he helped me in that aspect as well.”