The start of the series against the visiting Proteas was no contest, with the regional team losing by an innings and 62 runs inside three days. In a dreadful showing at the crease, the West Indies put up 259 in two innings and scored just 97 in the first innings.
After a string of positive performances against Bangladesh and then Sri Lanka, the outings at the crease against South Africa were more reminiscent of games last year, in New Zealand, where the Windies struggled to 385 in two innings against a fierce bowling attack and against England earlier in the year.
Holder believes the issue has to do with the team’s inexperience and the lack of cohesiveness it causes at the crease.
“It’s not every day that everyone will go out there and perform but what you would like is to have a bit more consistency and not have these massive imbalances when you get performances such as the one we had with our bat,” Holder told members of the media.
“You must also understand that we have a relatively inexperienced batting line-up. Bonner is in about his fourth Test match, the same thing with Mayers, Joshua Da Silva, the majority of the top order is relatively inexperienced. You only have Kraigg who has been around for a while, Powell coming back into the side…Roston coming back into the team after a little while as well,” he added.
“Guys are looking to re-engage themselves in the Test arena, some are looking to engage themselves for the very first time. All these things add up in the grand scheme of things and we have to be a little more patient with this line-up.”
The team will bowl off its campaign with a match against hosts New Zealand on Thursday at 8:00 pm. Not known for their exploits in the format, the West Indies will not be listed among the favourites but Matthews believes the team has made progress in the last year and will still have the experience and capability to ruffle some feathers.
“For a period of time we were kind of stuck when it came to 50-over cricket, maybe not progressing as much as we wanted to, but I do believe in the last year we have made massive leaps,” Matthews told the ICC channel.
“I think our biggest strength is probably the experience we have in the team. We have so many veterans from Deandra Dottin, Stafanie Taylor, Anisa Mohammed, and the list goes on. I think we have people we can rely on in tough situations and they always know how to really breakthrough and take us to the next level," she added.
The team’s captain Taylor and Dottin will be taking part in their fourth tournament, while Mohammed will be taking part in her fifth.
Against top-ranked Australia, the Windies found very little joy and suffered a lopsided 7-wickets loss in their fourth match of the tournament. Prior to that, the team struggled to deal with India’s powerful batting line-up in a 155-run defeat.
The results stand in sharp contrast to the Caribbean women's heady start to the tournament, which featured victories over New Zealand and England. It is those victories, however, that Matthews believes stands the team in good stead, despite its recent patch of bad form.
“Coming into this tournament we knew our first four games were likely going to be the hardest. We kind of said to ourselves if we can get two or three wins out of these four games we would be in a strong position and we’ve done exactly that,” Matthews told members of the media.
“Looking at the rest of the games, these are games we should expect to win and the good thing about it is that things are still in our hands. If we go out there and we can win all three of our games we will be qualifying for the semi-finals,” she added.
The West Indies will face Bangladesh, Pakistan, and South Africa in their remaining three matches.
“I don’t think there is much pressure at the moment. We know we have the kind of team that once we go out there and play our best cricket we will get the wins.”
On Friday, the Caribbean team managed to secure their third win of the campaign with a narrow four-wicket victory over Bangladesh, but the team’s performance at the crease made it far from a straightforward affair.
Batting first, the Windies Women could only put up 140 for 9 on the board, but that was in large part due to wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle’s staunch 53 in the middle order. At one point, the team found itself at 70 for 7 before gritty middle and lower order resistance presented a defendable target.
In fact, despite being third in the table, the West Indies have the second-worst run net run rate in the standings, just ahead of last place Pakistan. Ahead of the Pakistan encounter, Matthews knows the team needs to improve, even after the euphoria of the much-needed win over Bangladesh.
“Just looking at it everyone knew we didn’t get enough runs on the board. We definitely need to be doing better in that aspect. At the same time, we knew we could have gone out there and defended the runs by bowling in the right areas. Keeping the stumps in play was very, very important," Matthews told members of the media.
“We managed to do that well today, but at the same time we definitely need to do better with the bat if we’re going to have any chance at this World Cup.”
Controversy struck earlier this week after promising batsmen Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer were left out of the regional team, ahead of its series against Sri Lanka after both failed a fitness test. The opener Lewis’ omission came as even more of a surprise in the circumstances, considering the fact that he was the team’s best player in the recently concluded series against Ireland.
“We’ve made it clear to the players for three years now. The last thing we want to do is to be fining any players. The last thing we want to be doing is to be downgrading a player’s contract. The last thing we want to do is to not have any of our players available for selection,” Grave told the SportsMax Zone.
“At the same time if we have really to make a difference in driving a new fitness culture in our cricket and professionalizing all elements of cricket in the West Indies, we have to have minimum standards, accountability for those standards and consequences if players don’t adhere to those standards,” he added.
According to the official over the last two years, CWI has been forced to fine players significant sums of money and significantly reduced salaries.
Both players failed to meet the minimum standard but are expected to be re-tested in a few weeks.
A miserable campaign for the defending champions ended with an 8-wicket loss to Australia, the team’s fourth defeat in five games. The West Indies' lone win of the campaign came against Bangladesh, which preceded heavy losses to England, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.
For some the West Indies were listed among the pre-tournament favourites due to boasting a line-up packed with heavy hitters. The likes of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, and Andre Russell were not only household T20 names but already had the experience of winning the tournament.
In reality, however, the team struggled to put runs on the board, ending with the fourth-worst net run rate and the team’s experienced players' general failure to ever really get a foothold at the crease.
"Overall it's been a disappointing campaign. In terms of the batting, we have not done well at all. Our bowling has been decent but not good enough. It's the end of a generation, we have some guys who have done good things for T20 cricket in our team and around the world," Pollard said at the post-match presentation.
"We as people are very proud. We have to look at the way we play T20 cricket. What we've seen is that one guy in the top four has to bat as long as possible. Going forward I need to do that better. We have to start from a foundation now," Pollard said at the post-match press conference."
With the exception of productive cameos from Brathwaite and his opening partner Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the team’s last series against Australia proved to be a chastening experience, especially at the crease.
Over the course of two matches and four innings only Brathwaite, Chanderpaul and Roston Chase managed a half century. In addition, the Australians won the first Test by a massive 419 runs, where the Windies were embarrassingly bowled out for 77 in the second innings.
“We didn’t get the big scores, we didn’t get the big first innings scores that I would have liked. Going into Zimbabwe, especially at home, we know it won’t be a rollover,” Brathwaite told members of the media on Thursday.
“I really look forward to the batters spending time to get runs on the board. I think that will be crucial for us setting up the game to win it,” he added.
“We have to show our worth, I think the batters need to come and show more fight because Zimbabwe will not be easy at home. It’s not like we are going to show up and just get runs against Zimbabwe.”
Despite expecting a difficult task, the team can head into the encounter with some confidence having never lost to Zimbabwe in 10 encounters to date.
Brooks was deservedly named man-of-the-match, in large part due to compiling a steady 79 from 91, which underpinned much of the West Indies' success in responding to the New Zealand total.
The player's efforts were all the more impressive after the Kiwis struggled to come to grips with a difficult surface, where Kane Williamson had the highest score with 34.
Brooks, however, had plenty of support, particularly from Windies skipper Nicholas Pooran who was uncharacteristically restrained in a knock of 28 from 47.
“It was just getting the start, that was ideal. As I said before the wicket wasn’t the easiest to bat on but the longer we spent out there is the easier it got,” Brooks said in assessing the situation.
“I told him (Pooran) that we had never had a partnership in this form of cricket and that I was looking forward to it. So, we just put our heads together, as I said it was tough going at the start but Nicky put down his head. It was a bit out of character because he is normally very fluid and plays a lot of shots but it was very good in the end.”
Resuming on 196 for 6 following on after being bowled out for 138 in their first innings, the West Indies showed some fight with a 155-run seventh wicket partnership between Jermaine Blackwood and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph. However, once Joseph was dismissed for a career-best 86, the West Indies fell away to inevitable defeat.
Blackwood scored only his second Test century (104) in one of the few bright moments for the West Indies. His was the eighth wicket to fall as the home side closed in for the kill.
Afterwards, a frustrated captain, held nothing back.
“We just weren't good enough. We passed the bat quite a few times but credit to Kane, he made us toil,” said Holder who tried to find a few positives to highlight.
“We still had some positive stuff with our bowling unit. Our batting wasn't good enough. I have to congratulate Blackwood and Joseph for their innings. But quite frankly our top order needs to do better.
“We're still scratching our heads. Our preparations have been good. We had two solid warm up games and although the surface was different, I think we need to show better application up top.”
Holder said the team had to find solutions to the problems plaguing the team that has now lost three of their last four Test matches.
“We need answers and we need ‘em quickly,” Holder said while revealing that the West Indies will be without the services of their most experienced bowler for the remainder of the tour and the possible loss of his wicketkeeper through injury.”
“Kemar pushed through this Test match but he'll be going home to be with his family now. Shane, we're not quite sure about the extent of his hand injury. Looking pretty doubtful for the second Test. As I said to the other guys, it's time to deliver and stop talking. We've talked a lot and we've promised a lot. Now it's time to look ourselves in the mirror and fight. We've thrown in the towel too easily. We need to change that.”
The spinner showed himself to be in good form after claiming five wickets against a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI last week. Outside of taking the wickets, Cornwall proved hard to get away and boasted an economic rate of 2.82. Brathwaite backed the spinner to carry that form into the series, on a pitch that is suited for spinners.
“He did a very good job in the practice game, created a lot of pressure, bowling dot balls and such. I think he’ll do well in the series. He’s a quality off-spinner, we all know this,” Brathwaite told members of the media via an online press conference on Tuesday.
“We just need to stick to our plans, support him in the field, support all the bowlers not only Rahkeem but we look forward to him doing well this series, all the bowlers."
Cornwall’s best performance so far for the West Indies came in Asia when he claimed 7 for 75 in an innings against Afghanistan and claimed 10 wickets overall. The West Indies will begin the first Test against Bangladesh at 10:30 pm on Tuesday (9:30 pm ECT).
Finding themselves plagued with issues of inconsistency all tournament, the West Indies Women will face South Africa in a must-win encounter at Basin Reserve. On the back of a devastating loss to previously winless Pakistan, the team currently finds itself in the last semi-final spot and must hope for other results to go their way. The team has played one more game than England.
The South Africans have on the other hand been in solid form, with their only loss so far coming against top-ranked Australia, who are yet to lose a match.
“They’ve obviously been playing very good cricket. The only team that has beaten them is Australia, but at the same time we have played a lot of cricket against South Africa over the last few months,” Matthews told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“We played them at home in a series last year and before coming here (World Cup) we had a pretty good series as well, unfortunately, we lost the series but if a few things had gone our way, the rain-affected it and stuff like that, it would have looked like a different result,” she added.
“We know they have some dangerous players and we know all of them really well, we know what we need to do in this match as well. What’s going to be really important against them is getting some runs on the board.”
The 24-year-old Hetmyer will miss the upcoming T20 and One Day International (ODI) matches against Sri Lanka after disqualifying himself from selection because of a failed fitness test. The player, who recently took part in the Regional Super50 competition, will return to the team for the Test squad after subsequently passing another fitness test, along with Roston Chase.
Of concern, however, is the fact that Hetmyer also failed a fitness test administered at around the same time last year and a result missed out on some matches of an away series to the same opponents.
“It’s very unfortunate that he is out of the squad for fitness reasons but there is a protocol and things put in place. It is beyond my control but it is up to him if he really wants to represent the West Indies and to really help West Indies cricket because he is such a talent,” Gayle told members of the media via a Zoom press conference on Monday.
“West Indies cricket needs that type of talent, it’s just unfortunate and hopefully things work out and these guys take it seriously. These guys are the future. A guy like Hetmyer, with his talent, he is the future. We need him, we definitely need his talent,” he added.
“We don’t want to lose such a talent, so if I see Hetmyer I will try and have a talk with him. I’ve spoken to him before and I will do so if I get the chance again.”
Although the Red Force has clearly been the team of the tournament so far, with six straight wins, The Jaguars not been too far behind with five wins. In fact, the team’s lone loss came against the T&T Red Force in the 13th match of the season, a six-wicket defeat at Coolidge.
On that occasion, on the back of an unbeaten 82 from Jason Mohammed and 58 from Darren Bravo, the Red Force cruised to a comfortable win. Johnson is confident of turning the tables this time around.
“The mood is good in the camp. Obviously, Trinidad are unbeaten and have played good cricket but I think once we execute our plans well, it will be a good game of cricket,” Mohammed said.
“I don’t see why the Jaguars shouldn’t come out on top. I think fielding will be a major aspect; obviously, to win a championship against a quality Red Force we need to be exceptional in the field.”
The defending champions opened the tournament with back-to-back losses against England and South Africa but got on the board after squeezing past Bangladesh by 3 runs in the United Arab Emirates on Friday.
Despite notching the win, the team is yet to put a solid batting performance together after getting very little from the top of the order and with several players yet to hit top form. Along with Roston Chase, captain Kieron Pollard and the returning Jason Holder, Pooran, who received the man of the match award, was among those managing to make an impact this time around.
Pooran, who entered the line-up uncharacteristically at number 7, made an impactful 40 from 22 balls.
“Me and Polly talked about batsmen taking responsibility and doing what’s necessary for the team. In the tournament our batting hasn’t clicked yet, so we are chopping and changing,” Pooran said following the match.
“Hopefully guys put their hands up when it’s their day. Today I felt like it was just one of those days that I needed to put my hand up, especially losing Polly there for a bit, someone had to take the responsibility,” he added.
Prior to that, Pooran had struggled to get runs on the board after scoring 13 runs in the first two games.
It’s safe to say that the selection announced by the Desmond Haynes-led panel, earlier this week, included quite a few surprises. The list included some players on the fringes of the T20 unit for a while, with the likes of Sheldon Cottrell and Johnson Charles recalled and the inexperienced Yannic Cariah also earning somewhat of a shock selection.
In some ways, Wallace believes the team is similar in composition to the West Indies squad selected for last year's failed World Cup campaign, which had focused on stacking up power hitters.
“We’re going to Australia on bigger cricket grounds and we are carrying a lot of hitters of the cricket ball. I think when these guys are asked to bat, they are going to find themselves in problems. A lot of them are not even in form,” Wallace told the Mason and Guest radio program.
The former opener also had questions regarding how different pieces of the team would fit together.
“If you play Johnson Charles you have four openers on that T20 squad right now. Is he going to keep wicket or is he going to field out. Yannic Cariah is a wildcard, he doesn’t play T20 cricket, and he’s not involved in CPL. If he plays where is he going to fit into the 11?”
Over the last several years the Caribbean team’s struggles with the losing its players to lucrative T20 league around the world is a well noted one. At various points in time some of the region’s most notable players have found themselves at loggerheads with Cricket West Indies (CWI) over availability issues.
On occasion, the Windies best players have opted to take part in the world’s year-round T20 leagues ahead of international fixtures, which has left the team without some of its most experienced campaigners.
“We played for pride,” added Chanderpaul told Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald, on the heels of his recent induction to the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame.
“There are a lot of Premier leagues around the world. West Indies cricket is not what these guys would depend on these days, so I don’t think they’re as keen. They can go elsewhere and play and not focus on having to represent West Indies,” he added.
“Whatever comes up, the guys are happy to make as much as they can while their cricket career lasts,” he added.
The Windies took the opening match of the series with a comfortable four-wicket win, with 41 balls remaining. On Friday, however, Sri Lanka came roaring back to claim the second match after a star performance from the team’s spinners.
Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga proved particularly hard to negotiate, each claiming three wickets, with Sandakan boasting a miserly economy rate of 2.73. In pursuit of Sri Lanka’s 160 for 6, the Windies were restricted before being bundled out of 116. Things had not gone smoothly against the spin in the first match, despite the result, with Akila Danajaya claiming a four-for, including a third over hat-trick before being taken apart by Windies captain Kieron Pollard who smashed 6 sixes off his over. The coach believes a similar approach could pay dividends in the decider.
“The key is playing them in the right way. You can’t be too tentative when you are playing against good spinners,” Simmons told members of the media via a Zoom press conference on Saturday.
“We have to still go out there and look to score against them and playing cricket how we know how to play cricket,” he added.
“All the guys who played IPL would have played against these spinners or even better spinners and done well, so that is what we have to make sure we do tomorrow.”
The player has been practicing with the Windies team during its ongoing One Day International series against India, despite not being named as a member of the ODI squad. The way will now be clear for Hetmyer to return to active duty having passed a fitness test on Tuesday.
The talented batsman's struggle with his fitness has been well documented over the last few years. Hetmyer missed out on two series against Sri Lanka in the span of a year, and again in January of this year against Ireland and England. He could now be on course to be selected for the upcoming five-match T20 series, which will get underway on Friday. West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran is delighted with the player’s impending return to the fold.
“We hope to have him back soon, I think he passed the fitness test this morning, which is wonderful news, so we expect to have him back as soon as possible,” Pooran told members of the media on Tuesday.
Hetmyer has not represented the regional team since November of last year, against Australia.
In the 2016 final, the Caribbean team needed an improbable 19 off the final over before Carlos Brathwaite famously smacked four 6s off Ben Stokes to give the team its second world title.
Although Brathwaite is not in the squad this time around and admitting that things are not quite the same, Pollard insists the moment is a good reference point, which serves as an example of triumphing despite heavy odds in adversity.
“What Carlos did in those four deliveries, in that last over, it’s unbelievable. It’s something we saw as a team last night and it brought goosebumps back to us,” Pollard told members of the media on Friday.
“For us to be in that situation and get over the line, it shows that never say die attitude. As a team, we hope to replicate winning the entire tournament, and those kinds of moments, they stick with us. Hopefully, we can go out and play good enough cricket to get back in that kind of position, so we can be in another final and have some memories going forward,” he added.
“I don’t think it will have much bearing on the game (against England) because it’s another game of cricket and that situation was totally different it being a final, but we are looking to come out and give a good account of ourselves.”
The 32-year-old’s choice could be looked upon as quite a reasonable one given his recent struggles, particularly in this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL). According to reports, however, Russell was recently drafted to take part in the Lankan Premier League, which will begin on November 21 and roughly take part at the same time as the team’s tour of New Zealand.
When pressed on the issue, Harper insisted he could not draw any conclusions and could only rely on what he had been told.
“Andre said he needed some time to clear his head. He wasn’t handling a situation very well, that’s what he said. How he chooses to clear his head, I can’t determine that,” Harper told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“I don’t know what decision he has made. Where he is playing or if he is playing. I can only look and see what he had told me and then look at what happens subsequently,” he added.
“He is free to make those decisions. We will look to see what the situation is, how it develops, and take it from there,” Harper said.
“What I will say is that it gives a younger player an opportunity and hopefully that player can make the most of it and really do us proud.”
