Shai Hope bats for Walsh Jr: WI need more focus on wrist-spiners

AS the West Indies prepare for back-to-back white-ball series against familiar foes opposition England, starting with a three-match One-day International (ODI) series, captain Shai Hope says the regional team need to put more emphasis on enhancing the quality of wrist-spinners in the Caribbean.

The ODI series bowls off from 2 pm at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua on October 31, with the other two games to follow on November 2 and 6. At the pre-series presser on October 30, Hope threw his support behind leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr and also called for the wrist-spinners in the region to be given more time and backing to see their full potential.

Born in the USVI, the 32-year-old Walsh Jr, who started his international career with the US in 2019, has had a stop-start stint with the Windies since making his debut for the Men in Maroon in November 2019.

In the three-match ODI series away to Sri Lanka earlier this month, Walsh Jr had a difficult time in spin-friendly conditions – going wicketless in the first two ODIs and conceding 78 runs from nine overs before losing his place for the last match.

Despite those recent returns, Hope is showing faith in the leg-spinner who rose to prominence in the region after his MVP feat in the 2019 Caribbean Premier League season with Barbados Royals.

“I think the way Hayden has gone about his business, he’s been preparing and planning well. I think giving him the opportunity to play and express his skills – I think it’s something we have to look at,” Hope said.

“Wrist-spin is a skill we all tend to neglect sometimes in the Caribbean. I think we need to focus a little more on it and understand the more we give him opportunities, we’ll get a better Hayden Walsh.”

Hope said the regional team needs to do more to be on par with the rest of the world in the wrist-spin department.

“The shortage of wrist-spinners we’ve had in the last few years, we’ve got to look at that...we understand the importance of having quality leg-spinners and wrist-spinners in international cricket.”

Walsh Jr’s best ODI return for West Indies was his spell of five for 39 versus Australia in Barbados in July 2021. However, he’s gone without a wicket in six of his last eight ODIs across two years.

Coming off a confidence-boosting win versus Sri Lanka in the last ODI on October 26, Hope said there hasn’t been much time for the team to hone their skill on the field. However, he said the West Indies are “willing and raring to go” against an English team they defeated 2-1 in an exciting series in the Caribbean last December. West Indies followed up their ODI series win with a 3-2 win in the subsequent Twenty/20 International series.

“For some reason, we just find a way...when we play against England.

“It’s always something where we try to defend home court. I think the way we have prepared and planned, I think we just need to continue executing and the rest will take care of itself. All the results will take care of itself.”

The Windies made the lone change to their team from the Sri Lanka series, with Shimron Hetmyer replacing fellow left-hander Alick Athanaze. Hetmyer hasn’t played an ODI since the England series last December, but Hope is confident the 27-year-old middle-order batsman can show why he’s deemed a class act by many.

“Everyone in the world knows Hetmyer is a quality player. It’s just his personality that gives him that edge – going out there and playing like he does,” Hope said.

“Being back in the team, I’m sure he’s hungry to play for the West Indies...and show the world what he’s capable of again.”

With his team set to miss the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy in 2025, Hope said each game is worth its weight in gold as West Indies try to climb from tenth spot in the ODI rankings.

“We don’t have the option of playing (in the) Champions Trophy this time, but we still have to look ahead,” he said.

“We have 2027 (World Cup) in our eyesight and we have to take it stride by stride...points will get us up the rankings and give us an easier route. We just need to focus on each game and each opposition we play and play our best cricket so we can win consistently.”

England will be led by allrounder Liam Livingstone, and though a number of the high-profile names are absent, the squad includes seasoned campaigners such as Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt and Barbados-born quick Jofra Archer.

With his own form taking a dip in the Sri Lanka series as he scored just 32 runs in three innings, Hope was grateful to see Sherfane Rutherford and Evin Lewis step up to the plate.

“Evin has been out for some time and the way he came back with a bang is a real confidence booster for all of us as batsmen in the team. It’s a great look for us. We can use some of those positive performances we had in Sri Lanka and transfer it to this series...”

Rutherford scored fifties in all three ODIs versus Sri Lanka, with the 32-year-old Lewis hitting a match-winning 102 in the final match in his first ODI since 2021.

Should Lewis and Rutherford bring their form into this England series, Caribbean fans could be in for a treat.