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Hitting out on his own Sadiki Bolt

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Cool runnings!: Sadiki Bolt says famous brother Usain is a good role model and ambassador for Jamaica(Photo by Colin Thompson)

When it comes to athletics, brothers Usain and Sadiki Bolt have very little in common.Multiple Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Usain prefers to express his extraordinary athleticism in track and field, while junior sibling Sadiki gets his kicks out of lashing boundaries and claiming wickets on the cricket pitch.Asked was there ever a time he used to dabble in track and field, Melbourne Cricket Club all-rounder Sadiki quickly replied: “Never, the only running I do is between the wickets.”There was a time, however, when both men could be seen together playing on the cricket pitch.“Usain used to come and practise with us at [Melbourne] sometimes,” Sadiki recalled. “He could bowl, that’s for sure. Batting was his weaker aspect, but he was definitely a handy pace bowler.”The siblings share the same father and were born less than a year apart in different parishes.“I grew up in Kingston and he grew up in Trelawny,” Sadiki said. “We have three school breaks in the year in Jamaica, so all those breaks I used to go down to him every holiday.”The cricketer says his famous brother is a good role model and ambassador for both the sport and his fellow countrymen.“I’m proud of him because he’s carrying the banner for Jamaica right now, and that’s not an easy task,” said Sadiki, who started playing cricket at age ten. “He’s doing it well, so I have to give him credit.“It’s a real good feeling to know that my brother is the fastest man, and I’m glad that someone is there to represent men’s athleticism the way he’s been doing it. It’s fabulous.”As the brother of a famous athlete, Sadiki, 26, often finds himself in the spotlight especially when travelling in other countries.“[Getting publicity is] cool in places like here and in Jamaica where people see you and know you and they just give you a hail and go through,” he said. “But in places like Europe they want to take pictures and get your autograph and all of that.“It’s all right sometimes when you have the time, but sometimes you just want to have your little space.”As well as his elder brother, Sadiki is a big fan of cricket greats Brian Lara, Michael Vaughn and Brett Lee.“Brian Lara is one of my favourite batsmen, he and Michael Vaughn,” he said. “Currently Chris Gayle is who I love to watch, and he’s my homeboy.“I also used to love to watch Brett Lee bowl because he always gave a hundred percent no matter what track he was on.”Outside of cricket Sadiki enjoys other sports such as football, and listening to the heartbeat of Jamaican culture reggae music.“I love music as long as it sounds good,” he said. “But dance hall is our culture and I love dance hall music.”Among his favourite reggae artists is the legendary Bob Marley, who is largely credited for bringing reggae into the mainstream.“Bob is one of the first Jamaicans who made people recognise Jamaica,” he said. “Bob has some good sounds, and we have to give respect to our seniors.”Melbourne Cricket Club, who are based in Sadiki’s hometown of Kingston, are currently on a five-match cricket tour of Bermuda.

Photo by Glenn TuckerSadiki Bolt, brother of the worlds fatest man Usain Bolt, topped the Melbourne Cricket Club batting with a boundary-laden knock of 40 when Melbourne Cricket Club played Commercial Cricket League side Jamaican Association in a Twenty20 match at Somerset Cricket Club Thursday evening. Here he is shown flicking the ball off his pads to mid-wicket.