Not being a part of the limited-overs sides, Blackwood returned to the Caribbean for the first-class regional competition. His returns were unsatisfactory. In 14 innings he scored 405 runs at an average of just 28.92 with only three half-centuries. More crucially, he made a number of starts only to flit them away needlessly, gifting his wickets without much provocation.
There was really no surprise then that many fans questioned his place in the squad when it was announced, especially with a few young batsmen challenging for places. I was happy the selectors stuck with him, though if they had thought it fit to elevate a player such as the Barbadian Shai Hope, who scored two centuries, one of them a double, and averaged 44.85 in the regional competition, I would not have decried the decision.
