A quickie who bowled the maidens over

22 April 2016 - 02:20 By unknown

Former West Indies fast bowler Tino Best is soon to bring out his autobiography, Mind the Windows: My Story. Here is an edited exclusive extract:I love girls - and girls love me. I reckon I'm the best-looking bald-headed guy in the world. I joke about being the black Brad Pitt!Everywhere I went as a cricketer, I'd talk to girls, date girls and sleep with girls. I reckon I've slept with anywhere between 500 and 650 girls, all around the world.I had a beautiful baby called Tamani with my first love, Melissa, but things went bad with us. The lads had told me that, once I took wickets for Barbados, she'd come running back for me. I had done just that but she hadn't. When she called it a day, I became a bit of a playboy. Put it this way: I was a man whore.If I liked a girl, I'd go and talk to them - whoever it was. If I'd seen Beyoncé and she was single, I'd have gone and introduced myself: "Hello, my name's Tino. What's yours?" No girl intimidated me.I was younger than the rest of my teammates when I first arrived on the scene. I was handsome and single, and girls liked that. They liked the fact there were no strings attached with me, too.I was desperate to impress the older lads when I got in the Barbados squad because we had a brotherhood together. I was the new kid on the block and I felt like I'd get points from the boys when I pulled a girl. It was a way of getting more respect and showing I was the man.The Barbados and West Indies lads used to like a drink but there was no huge drinking culture. They never encouraged me to drink, put it that way, and I never felt pressurised. It was more of a social drink - one or two brandies. I used to train so hard that I couldn't afford to fill myself with booze and throw that down the drain. Risk the opportunity of playing for the West Indies? No chance, bro.I'd pick and choose who I wanted to date. I used to go on five or six dates a week, all with different girls. So, yes, I was a man whore. I'd have to juggle them round.One on one day, another on another day. I was young and loving the lifestyle.My mum said she didn't mind me having lots of girls - if I was careful. And there's one thing I never did - I'd never lie to a girl. I'd always tell them straight: I don't want a relationship and all I'm interested in is having fun. No relationship, no stress.Once Melissa left, I didn't like the thought of having to answer to someone. I didn't want to be steaming in for Barbados against Jamaica at Sabina Park, worrying if my wife or girlfriend was back home cheating while I was away.I have my whole life to find someone - cricket is a short career.All the girls knew the score. They knew I was a travelling athlete and they knew I wasn't husband material. Marriage is not really encouraged in our society anyway. People tend to break up so much. You'll spend a load of money building a million-dollar house; split up and the other half will want to have half the damn house. I always wanted to wait. And even then, it has to be the right girl. I'm not going to rush it.We used to go on tour with the West Indies - and away with Barbados - and see how many girls we could enjoy. If I went to Australia and saw a nice-looking blonde, I'd want to date them. If I went to South Africa and saw a gorgeous brunette, I'd want to go out for a bit with her.We used to have competitions of who could shag the most girls on tour. I think my record, on an 11-week tour to Australia in 2005, was more than 40. I was 24 and I didn't play a Test on that tour. The coach, Bennett King, didn't fancy me one bit. He must have been the only one who didn't! He made me watch the Test matches and I used to feel so frustrated. All I did was play the tour games.But I was bowling fast - at night. Sometimes I'd take back four girls on one night! If that happened, I'd have to call one of the other lads for back-up to help me out.I've had plenty of threesomes. One night I had three girls at once. That's the most I've ever done stuff with.I wasn't getting any play on the field in Australia - but I was at night. The greatest night of my life was in 2004. I had my first ménage à trois in the Crowne Plaza hotel in Birmingham. Wow. I went for dinner with two beautiful girls and took them back to my room. That blew my mind.The most beautiful girls are the Australians. I think they are amazing. They are really into their fitness and have amazing bodies. Did any of this affect my cricket? No, not at all. I don't think it hindered me. I respected that I played for my country and did everything I could - but I liked enjoying myself, too.Don't get me wrong, I respect girls very much. I come from a family of strong women but in the Caribbean things are just more laid back and it's what people do.If Melissa had taken me back, I'd have been much cooler and things would have been different but it wasn't to be.The girls are great but the best thing about being a cricketer is the days on the field. Nothing can beat pulling on the whites of your country and going into battle. It's a feeling like no other. Some people ask me the worst thing about being a cricketer and, you know what? There isn't a single thing I don't enjoy. - 'Mind the Windows' by Tino Best with Jack Wilson is published by John Blake Publishing, and will be available on Kindle from April 28...

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