WI players say Holder’s form not a concern

West Indies’ Joshua Da Silva of the West Indies bats watched by Shai Hope and Shamarh Brooks during day four of a West Indies warm-up match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on Thursday. (via AP) -
West Indies’ Joshua Da Silva of the West Indies bats watched by Shai Hope and Shamarh Brooks during day four of a West Indies warm-up match at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, on Thursday. (via AP) -

IN-FORM batsmen Kyle Mayers and Joshua Da Silva are not concerned about the form of captain Jason Holder leading into the three-match Test series against England, although the number one all rounder in the world has been short of runs in the intra-squad warm-up matches.

Holder, ranked just ahead of Englishman Ben Stokes in the world Test all rounder rankings, has found runs hard to come by in England.

In the final warm-up match that was completed on Thursday, Holder scored five and two.

In the first warm-up match the Windies captain scored duck in his only innings.

Fast bowler Holder, who has been experiencing a niggle with his ankle, only bowled five overs leading up to the Test series which included one wicket.

Mayers, who is one of the ten reserves, cracked 74 not out on Thursday to help the Kraigg Brathwaite XI score 178 in the first innings in response to the Jason Holder XI score of 272.

The Holder XI closed the second innings on 171/4 as the four-day contest ended in a draw. The entire first day of the match was washed out.

Mayers is not worried about Holder’s form.

“Not at all. He is a very quality player, number one all rounder in the world. A few practice matches not scoring runs would not change his mindset at all. Coming into Test cricket is a different feeling. Hopefully he contributes as usual and lead the team as good as he could.”

Holder was instrumental in helping West Indies win the Wisden Trophy in the Caribbean last year with a 2-1 Test series win.

He scored 229 runs in three innings including a knock of 202 not out. Holder also contributed with the ball grabbing seven wickets in the two matches he played.

Da Silva, who scored 133 not out and 56 not out in the final practice match, is also not concerned about his captain’s form.

“Not at all. We back him 100 per cent, not at all,” Da Silva said, who is also a reserve in the team.

Mayers said the team is optimistic heading into the first Test. “I think the group is really prepared and willing to go. I think every aspect of the game is being covered well here in preparation from fielding to batting to bowling and I think everything is being done well and the guys are very confident going into the first Test.”

The first Test match bowls off on July 8.

Summarised Scores

Jason Holder XI 272 – Joshua Da Silva 133 not out, Alzarri Joseph 38, Sunil Ambris 25; Preston McSween 3/28, Chemar Holder 2/35 and 171/4 (J Da Silva 56 not out, Nkrumah Bonner 47, Jermaine Blackwood 43; Anderson Phillip 2/20) vs Kraigg Braithwaite XI 178 – Kyle Mayers 74 not out, Keon Harding 22; Shannon Gabriel 4/42, Kemar Roach 2/25, Alzarri Joseph 2/64 Match Drawn

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