Seales anticipates tough challenge on Sri Lankan pitches

PACER JAYDEN Seales can feature in his first Test for the West Indies on foreign soil during the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, the first bowling off at the Galle International Cricket Stadium next Sunday.

The 19-year-old featured for the regional Test team during the two-Test series – against South Africa and Pakistan – at home in the Caribbean earlier this year. On debut against the Proteas, Seales bagged three wickets for 153 runs and then captured 11 scalps for 188 runs against Pakistan.

He also became the youngest West Indian to get a five-wicket haul in a Test innings, snagging 5/55 against the latter.

Seales however, anticipates a tough test against Sri Lanka as the pitch in Galle favours the spinners. He remains ready to serve with ball and bring an end to the squad’s three-Test series winless drought.

“Personally, I’m not too sure (how challenging the pitch will be) because it’s the first time I’m playing down here so I will just have to assess the conditions, and perform as good as I can and bowl, to the best of my ability when wanted for the team,” he said during Saturday’s Cricket West Indies virtual press conference.

Seales hopes to replicate his form against Pakistan in August but pointed out that he would have to readjust his technique to suit the spin-friendly pitch.

“In the spin friendly conditions, it will be a bit challenging to have the impact I had in the Caribbean but nevertheless I still have to be accurate, economical and still force the batsmen to make errors,” said the teenaged fast bowler.

On Sunday, the visitors start a four-day warm-up match against a Sri Lanka A team in Colombo to get some time in on the pitch and accilamtise themselves to the conditions.

The squad held several intense training sessions since their arrival on Wednesday. Once selected to the starting 11 for next Sunday’s opening Test, Seales plans to remain economical, get some early breakthroughs and apply heavy bowling pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen.

He credited fellow and veteran pacers Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel for guiding his progress with the ball.

“Working with Shannon and Kemar thus far has obviously been a good thing for me," Seales pointed out. "They’re mostly helping me control consistency, being able to hit hard lengths, bowl in the correct areas and force batsmen to do something different. They’ve also taught me to remain a lot more patient and stick with the plan for longer periods of time.”

Heading into Sunday’s practice match, the right-arm fast bowler said the mood in the West Indies camp is good.

“Everyone has been training hard, working well with each other and getting along very well. It’s just to go out there and execute my plans as best I as I could. Try to work with the conditions and see what I can do for the team,” he said.

Looking back on his five-wicket haul against Pakistan, Seales wants to build on this momentum and continue improving, as he seek to ending the 2021 season on a high note.

The West Indies have not won a Test series since February when they defeated hosts Bangladesh 2-0. Following that performance, the maroon drew 0-0 against Sri Lanka (in March, in Antigua), lost 2-0 to South Africa (in June, in St Lucia) and then drew 1-1 with Pakistan (in August, in Jamaica).

Seales closed, “I’m very satisfied with the performances I had from my debut (South Africa) series and my series (Pakistan) after that.

“It’s just for me to build on those performances, improve in the areas I have to and the areas I can improve on and just keep working hard and put my best foot forward for the team.”

Vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood shared similar sentiments. During the practice sessions, he did some spin bowling in the nets and fancies a possible call-up by captain Kraigg Brathwaite to get some overs against the Sri Lankans.

“I was just working on spin and backing my defence as well just going over my routine in the net," said Blackwood, with regards to his batting.

Concerning his bowling though, Blackwood said, "I always tell the skipper I want to bowl a few overs because I have the golden arm and will always take one or two wickets. It’s very interesting to see if I can get a few overs.”

The Jamaican Blackwood said he is looking forward to this series because the squad has been producing some good results over the past year.

He closed, “We just want to finish this year on a strong (note) so if we can even get a win or draw in this series it will be very good. Preparation has been going pretty good.”