Testing time again for West Indies

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By Bryan Davis

WEST INDIES coach Phil Simmons informed his batsmen to spend long hours at the crease in the practice matches in order to place huge scores in the region of 350-450 and more per innings in the forthcoming Test series starting on December 3.

On their present tour of New Zealand, after suffering through the inhibiting conditions of the governing protocols of quarantine for pandemic requirements, in their first game against NZ “A”, which was a three-day practice match, the batsmen stitched together a total of 366, with Darren Bravo scoring a delightful 135 and Sharmah Brooks getting to 80. This was, for all intents and purposes, a practice, as the teams were allowed to use more than 11 players during the game.

The second game was deemed a First-Class match of four days’ duration, with only 11 players per team; in other words a more serious contest, as runs scored, wickets gained and catches taken, would be added to the cricketers’ overall record.

Simmons must have been pleased with the response of the batsmen to his desire, for, in this game, Kraigg Brathwaite piled on the runs to achieve his highest score in First-Class cricket, 246, contributing to a team total of a massive 571, with Bravo playing another productive innings of 93. Jermaine Blackwood also got a 50.

Nonetheless, the coach would be the first to admit there’s no reason to be carried away with elation, although satisfied with his batsmen. He admitted that he’s not worried about his bowlers, because they always do their job.

However, it must be worrisome when his bowlers, albeit on a flat surface, could not penetrate a second-class NZ team. In neither game did they perform like Test bowlers against inferior opposition.

Simmons should also be wary of the dynamics of the home team. NZ cricket has evolved into a force to be reckoned with and lie second in Test cricket’s ranking and third in ODIs. In T20 before this series NZ were sixth. WI are buried tenth in T20 and ninth in ODIs while they are eighth in Tests. NZ did not acquire this rating by chance but through sound principles of administration.

So, be warned, jumping to conclusions while underrating one’s opponent is one of the mistakes an opposing coach or captain can make when playing NZ.

For instance, the practice games at Queenstown in the south island were played on pluperfect pitches that were deemed a paradise for batting.

West Indies
batsman Darren Bravo -

The NZ bowlers used for these games were not their Test bowlers; the match was utilised for the development of their inexperienced cricketers.

In the Tests, the pitches will support the seam bowlers to give NZ the advantage; top-class bowlers like Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, both left-handed quicks, plus Lockie Ferguson, who was seen in the T20s, will severely test WI batsmen. NZ’s talented slow left-hand bowler Mitchell Santner will give their bowling some variety. That is why batsmen ought to have the discipline needed to reveal the art of batsmanship with sound technique, self-confidence and responsibility, in order to deal with all bowling styles. This will be the key to the Caribbean cricketers’ performances. Any over-confidence absorbed in the practice games will create one’s own downfall.

The pathetic performances of WI in the T20 series must be noted, as they are defending champions, having won the last two T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2016. I would think we are fortunate that it was postponed in 2020. Nevertheless, to do anything worthwhile would need a lot of work, minus excuses and forgiveness.

While the first game was competitive, this was mainly due to the fine batting of skipper Kieron Pollard, who made 75 not out in a score of 180.

However badly the team performed in that game, the second game at Mount Maunganui was a disaster.

The bowling was lamentable, the batting was worse and the fielding was wretched. It was an embarrassment for an international team to be so bad. It was a pitiable performance.

On the other hand NZ appeared a classy outfit, playing cricket with the right approach.

WI looked worse than a ragged, undisciplined schoolboy team.

Their lackadaisical attitude to the job at hand was distinctly unprofessional.

Simmons and Pollard have a lot of work to do with this team.

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