Simmons slams WI decision-making

RENALDO MATADEEN

FORMER WEST Indies all-rounder and coach Phil Simmons has lambasted the team's decision-making, which handed India a comprehensive 3-1 One-Day International home series win yesterday.

He stated that the fourth ODI result left the Windies confused how to approach this final match, where they were bowled out for 153 chasing 377.

Simmons believes this made Holder's team too eager to bat first once they won the toss in the decider, an approach which has seen them score 322 and 283 previously in this series. However, the current Afghanistan coach indicated this direction needed an extra batsman.

"It's been a nightmare in decision-making for them (yesterday) because if you score less than 200 in an ODI and then you drop a batsman, that doesn't make sense. Also, you drop one of the batsmen who looked like he was getting into it now. He started well in the first two games especially, and then you come here with an extra bowler, win the toss and then you decide to bowl with the dew that's predicted. So (it's) a lot of misread decisions," Simmons told ESPN.

With off-spinner Ashley Nurse already replaced by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, underperforming Guyanese opener Chanderpaul Hemraj was omitted, leaving the aforementioned opening for a batsman. Skipper Jason Holder, however, opted to use pacer Oshane Thomas instead of adding an extra batter (with Rovman Powell joining namesake Kieran atop the order).

Simmons indicated this tactic prevented the West Indies from equalising the series. "It just confused their (management) think-tanks so a lot of wrong decisions (were made yesterday)" he confessed.

Simmons also dismissed any suggestions it was down to the pitch favouring Indian bowlers and chided the rash batting on display.

"When you look at Marlon (Samuels), Marlon was driving at a ball that has halfway down (the pitch), Jason was driving at a ball that was halfway down, it's not to say a lot of these outs were down to the pitch. You can't blame the pitch. We, as a batting unit, after the last performance, needed to take things slowly and carry on to the end," Simmons concluded.