Brendan Nash stamped himself as a first-class player with 157 against South Australia and 96 in the Pura Cup final win over Tasmania in 2001-02, and he followed up the next season with 176 against New South Wales before a form slump disrupted his progress.

He fought back to earn Bulls' contract status and was a regular performer without nailing a permanent place.

A left-handed batsman, a stunning fielder (he was a Test substitute against West Indies at the Gabba in 2005) and a useful left-arm medium-pacer, he played five Pura Cup games in 2005-06 and picked up the third century of his career with 107 at the WACA. Small at 173cm, Nash follows in the sporting trail of his father, who was a swimmer for Jamaica at Olympic and Commonwealth Games level from 1966 to 1970.

After being used only three times in 2006-07, he was not offered a contract and decided to try his luck in Jamaica.

He had a strong first campaign, which finished with him scoring a match-winning century in the Carib Challenge final, and after barely 12 months in the Caribbean he was called into the West Indies squad for the ODI tri-series in Canada.

A Test promotion also came quickly and he made 23 on debut in the rain-ruined match in Dunedin before a satisfying double of 74 and 65 in Napier.

During the Tests against England in the Caribbean Nash provided a buffer between the powerhouses of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan and a previously fallible lower order.

His sensible batting earned him 239 runs, including a maiden Test century.