[UPDATED] Estwick: Intense schedule no excuse

WEST Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick said there can’t be any excuses in terms of fitness or fatigue as the regional team prepares to play a third Test match in quick succession against England on their current tour.

The players have only been able to get three days rest between matches since the series bowled off on July 8. The second Test match at Manchester, which England won by 113 runs to square the three-match series, ended on Monday. The third Test would begin on Friday at the same venue.

Estwick, asked how the Windies fast bowlers are coping with the matches being played in close proximity, said, “Our seam department is very experienced. We will trust them, we will sit down with them and we will have a discussion.” Estwick was speaking to journalists via Zoom on Wednesday.

The assistant coach said pacer Shannon Gabriel was ready to bowl in the nets on Wednesday and Kemar Roach was looking fresh. The Windies bowling attack includes fast bowlers Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph, along with spinner Roston Chase.

“We are trying to get them to stay off their feet, get the adequate rest in, get the treatment that they need because come Friday it is no second-guessing. It is a big Test match for us, it is a big Test match for the region and we just got to be ready. We can’t have any excuses. We’ve got to go out there and bring our A-game.”

The England bowlers may be less weary for the third and final Test. In the first match, England went with fast bowlers James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, along with spinner Dom Bess. In the second match, changes were made as the quartet of Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Stuart Broad and Bess played. The only change England were forced to make was Archer. The Barbadian-born fast bowler broke the team rules and took a detour to go home for personal reasons between the first and second Test matches. As a result, Archer was dropped for the second Test.

West Indies, who won the first Test by four wickets, kept the same team for the second Test match. The bowlers led the charge for the West Indies with Gabriel and Holder ending the match with nine wickets and seven wickets respectively. The regional team decided to stick with the winning team, but the fast bowlers were not as troublesome for the English batsmen in the second Test.

West Indies have not defeated England in a Test series in England since 1988, a drought the regional team would end with a top performance in the third Test. West Indies and England have played in eight series in England since 1988. The series in 1991 and 1995 were drawn, but between 2000 and 2017 England won six series.

“Of course (that has been part of the discussion). We are constantly reminding them that they have got a chance to change something that has not happened for 32 years. We played them a few times over the last two or three years and we’ve won odd Test matches, we obviously won in the Caribbean (in 2019). We want to go one step better here in England...it’s a final. When you look at this game it’s a final to both teams and whoever puts in a big performance will win the game.”

Along with the 15-man squad, West Indies have ten reserves in England. Estwick hinted the 15-man squad should remain the same except for an injury. It means that any changes to the starting XI would come from the 15-man squad. All-rounders Rahkeem Cornwall and Raymon Reifer, fast bowler Chemar Holder and batsman Nkrumah Bonner are the four players in the squad that have not played yet.

Cornwall, who has played two Test matches in his career, grabbed incredible match figures of 10/121 with his off-spin against Afghanistan in India last year.

West Indies are expected to make at least one change as opener John Campbell and top-order batsman Shai Hope have been struggling in the series, scoring 52 and 57 runs respectively in four innings.

Concerning Cornwall getting an opportunity, Estwick said, “Rahkeem has been preparing well, so if he is given the opportunity I am sure he will go well. All 15 players will come up for discussion and we will try to make sure we get the best combination from that 15 going into this final Test match.”

Cornwall would give the bowling attack another option, as off-spinner Roston Chase is the only West Indies spinner used regularly during the series.

This story was originally published with the title "Estwick: Intense schedule no excuse for final Test" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

WEST Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick said there can't be any excuses in terms of fitness or fatigue as the regional team prepares to play a third Test match in quick succession against England on their current tour.

The players have only been able to get three days rest between matches since the series bowled off on July 8. The second Test match at Manchester, which England won by 113 runs to square the three-match series, ended on Monday. The third Test would begin on Friday at the same venue.

Estwick, asked how the Windies fast bowlers are coping with the matches being played in close proximity, said, "Our seam department is very experienced. We will trust them, we will sit down with them and we will have discussions." Estwick was speaking to journalists via Zoom on Wednesday.

The assistant coach said pacer Shannon Gabriel was ready to bowl in the nets on Wednesday and Kemar Roach is looking fresh. The Windies bowling attack includes fast bowlers Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph, along with spinner Roston Chase.

"We are trying to get them to stay off their feet, get the adequate rest in, get the treatment that they need because come Friday it is no second guessing. It is a big Test match for us, it is a big Test match for the region and we just got to be ready. We can't have any excuses. We've got to go out there and bring our A game."