HOPE...we've got to ensure we put a lot more pressure on their bowlers so we can give ourselves the best chance to get big scores on the board.
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West Indies captain Shai Hope has made it clear that his team will approach the second ODI contest against Sri Lanka as a must-win, treating it like a final in order to keep their hopes of topping the three-match series alive.
After suffering a five-wicket defeat in a rain-affected opening encounter, the West Indies are trailing 1-0, making Wednesday’s clash a decisive one, especially as they hunt ranking points to move up the leaderboard in the format.
Hope, who will be tasked with playing a steadying role in the middle order should his top-order fail, acknowledged the disappointment of losing the first game but believes that the Caribbean side can bounce back with a stronger, more cohesive performance.
First ball is 4:00am Jamaica time, 5:00am in the Eastern Caribbean.
“We did some drawing board prep; we know exactly what's in front of us and so we have to play the next game like a final. We see where we are in terms of the rankings on the world stage and we have to find ways to get better and improve quickly,” Hope said in a pre-game interview.
“Having said that, we've got to make sure we take each game at a time, and seeing what happened in the previous game, we've got to look at the learnings that we can find there and understand how we need to improve in terms of our bowling and batting. So I think we got our work cut out; the conversations that we've had over the last 48 hours or so have been pretty good, and I think that we're in good headspace to bounce back,” he added.
The West Indies fell short in the first game, largely due to lapses in the bowling department, as Sri Lanka was set a revised total of 232 based on the Duckworth Lewis method.
Despite a promising start in which they snared three wickets in the PowerPlay, they were unable to see off the game, and Sri Lanka chased down their target comfortably. Only Gudakesh Motie (3-47) and Alzarri Joseph (2-39) showed little fight with the ball.
With that in mind, Hope pointed to the need for more consistency from his players, particularly in capitalizing on strong starts and finishing innings with authority.
“Challenging conditions are all part of the game. We would have hoped that the rain didn't come in to play a factor, but having said that, we've got to find ways to negate that. We can't focus too much on things we can't control... we definitely can't control the weather, so we've got to find ways to bowl with the wet ball if we have to do it again in the next game,” Hope stated.
“I just think our lines and lengths have to be better depending on whichever surface you're playing on. I think regardless of if it's wet or not, we got to make sure our lines and lengths are a lot better as a bowling group and then when we're batting, I think we need to show a bit more intent. So I think those are the key areas that we need to focus on going into the next game,” he declared.
Knowing very well that the series is on the line, Hope is urging his teammates to step up and deliver a performance that showcases their potential, even more so to take the Sri Lankan spinners out of their comfort zones.
“Obviously, we got to look at the PowerPlay. We need to see how we are going to attack the Powerplay and then how we are going to attack their spinners to put them under pressure in some way. If we’ve got to play different shots, if we’ve got to look at different scoring areas, push a little bit harder to make them think,” Hope reasoned.
“If we just allow them to set and bowl, then they're going to be all over us. So as a team, as a batting group, we've got to ensure we put a lot more pressure on their bowlers so we can give ourselves the best chance to get big scores on the board,” he ended.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Hope says lessons learned from failed ODI series as Windies seek consolation win
With the disappointment of back-to-back losses hanging heavy in the air, the West Indies will enter Saturday’s final One Day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka, hoping to avoid a 3-0 sweep at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
In fact, West Indies captain Shai Hope was not shy to admit that this last contest in the three-match series is about more than just pride, it is about learning from mistakes and building resilience for the future.
The West Indies struggled with both bat and ball in the first two encounters, which they lost by five wickets. Hope acknowledges that those matches have exposed key areas that his side must improve upon, particularly their handling of spin and situational awareness under pressure.
“There are several factors we can point out, but I just think not adapting to the conditions fast enough was our main problem. Obviously, we didn't win the crucial stages of the game, and obviously, the spin department has been the only thing we have going right now for us. But yeah, the thing is, there are a lot of lessons that we need to take from the series. We can't change the past right now; we have to learn from it, and it's very important we do so quickly,” Hope said in a pre-game interview.
Hope emphasized that players need to improve individually and as a whole to support one another and create a solid, cohesive unit. He noted that achieving that level of synergy would take time but remained optimistic about the direction the team is headed.
“We have to keep trying. We have to keep finding ways to get better. I think it's more mental than anything at this point in time because skill work is skill work, yes, but we have to make sure we find ways to adapt as quickly as we can. One day of practice is not going to make us into the greatest batter or the greatest bowler ever. So there's more mental prep that we need to do right now at this stage and plan well,” Hope argued.
With the series outcome already decided, Saturday’s match will serve as a final test of character for the West Indies team, with fans and players alike hoping for a redeeming performance. However, to achieve that feat, the top order of the batting lineup will need to counter Sri Lanka's challenging spin attack, while the bowling unit will also have to be on point.
“Yeah, for sure, it has not been good enough. We asked the openers and the top-order batters to set the platform for the guys in the middle, and it's clear to see we didn't do that in this series, and we had to depend a lot on the lower order, which they played really well, in my opinion. But if we get those good starts or if we get that good start in this last game here, I think it would be a whole change to the context of the game,” Hope noted.
That said, the skipper singled out middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 74 and 80 in the first two games, including sharing in an historic 119-run nine-wicket partnership with Gudakesh Motie in the second contest.
“He's been playing really well. He's been putting a lot of work off the field, and a lot of people won't see that, but the way he's progressed and matured for his career so far, I think, is tremendous. I think there's a lot that he can take from these few performances that he's had so far,” Hope said.
“He's shown that he's capable of batting and adapting to those conditions that we speak about in the team room. But, yeah, I think he's got a lot more to offer, and it's great to see he's getting those big scores now and all that hard work he's putting in is coming to fruition,” he ended.
Mayers to lead Barbados Pride in CG United Super50 Cup
West Indies batsman Kyle Mayers has been appointed Barbados Pride captain for the 2024 Super50 Cup.
Mayers replaces Shai Hope, who misses out due to international commitments, as Pride skipper.
Also out of the team from the 2023 squad are Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamar Brooks, Roston Chase, Akeem Jordan, Jair McAllister, Roshon Primus, and Kemar Smith.
Jordan has been listed as a reserve for the tournament.
The 2024 Super Cup will be staged in Trinidad from 29 October to 23 November.
Barbados has won the tournament six times with their last title coming in 2017.
They got to the semi-finals of last year's edition.
Full squad: Kyle Mayers (captain), Zachary McCaskie, Leniko Boucher, Kadeem Alleyne, Kevin Wickham, Raymon Reifer, Nyeem Young, Dominic Drakes, Chemar Holder, Kemar Smith, Jomel Warrican, Matthew Jones, Javed Leacock, Demetrius Richards
Reserves: Jonathan Drakes, Akeem Jordan, Tevyn Walcott, Hakeem Perryman, Nathan Sealy, Keon Harding, Amari Goodridge.
Pakistan in charge against England after Shakeel century
Saud Shakeel’s brilliant century saw Pakistan regain control in their deciding Test against England, with the help of some late wickets.
The tourists had started the day strongly, but their momentum slowly fizzled out through the day as they struggled to cope with Shakeel.
England took three late wickets on Thursday and picked up where they left off as Shoaib Bashir took Shan Masood before Rehad Ahmed's 4-66 put Pakistan in trouble at 187-7, the youngster scalping three in quick succession.
However, Shakeel was in control with the bat, plundering 134, and he was helped by lower-order partnerships with Noman Ali (45) and Sajid Khan (48 not out) as he pushed Pakistan towards their 344 total, and a 77-run lead.
Any hopes England had of quickly regaining their lead were quickly squashed, as they lost three wickets in the nine overs played before stumps, with Zak Crawley (2), Ben Duckett (12) and Ollie Pope (1) failing to put their stamp on things.
Joe Root (5 not out) and Harry Brook (3) are set to resume at the crease on Saturday on 24-3, with a lot of work to do as they trail by 53.
Data Debrief: The driving force
Shakeel got 16 of his runs at the very end of day one and stood firm through Friday's extended morning session in Rawalpindi as he used his smarts to stay in the game.
He faced 223 deliveries during his stand, but only hit five boundaries in his knock, all fours.
Instead, it was his partnerships that proved fruitful, racking up 88 runs with Noman before adding another 72 with Khan before he was trapped lbw by Gus Atkinson.
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