While defending his aggressive approach to batting, West Indies vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood believes the team’s batsmen need to spend more time at the crease if they are to win the second Test against Pakistan set to bowl off at Sabina Park in Kingston on Friday.
Blackwood made scores of 22 and 55 in the first Test that the West Indies won by one wicket chasing a relatively modest total of 168 on a tricky pitch in Kingston. During a press conference on Wednesday, the Jamaican urged his teammates to apply themselves better in the final Test in the Betway series between the two teams.
“Once we go out there and play some hard cricket, I don’t see why we can’t beat Pakistan,” Blackwood told members of the media.
“In the last game you saw some bits of application, so once we can go out there and bat for longer periods I don’t see why we can’t win the series because the bowlers have always done an awesome job for us.”
Asked about the batsmen’s shot selection, which oftentimes sees them getting out to injudicious stroke play, Blackwood, who was dismissed in the first innings playing an attacking shot, agreed that better shot selection would help the batters produce better scores.
“I think once can get down to ball selection and select the right balls to score and which ones to leave and defend that will be much better for us,” he said while defending his own aggression.
He said his plan when he gets to the crease is to face 150 balls or more but in the second innings when he scored 55 from 78 balls he got out pushing at one outside his off stump.
“I am an aggressive batsman and I am always going to be aggressive but once I can curb it a little bit I don’t think my team will kill me for that because as you saw in the last game in the fourth innings on that pitch if I didn’t go out there and get that aggressive I think would be talking about something different today.”
He said, however, that the batting coach Monty Desai has been urging him to be patient, choose the right balls and stay in the moment, as he would love to see him score a double century.
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Anybody's game: Gilbert, Williams cautiously optimistic about final outcome as Arnett, Portmore square after first leg
Fairly satisfied with parts of their teams’ performances in an entertaining 1-1 first-leg quarterfinal stalemate, Arnett Gardens Head coach Xavier Gilbert and his Portmore United counterpart Phillip Williams are now hoping to build on the positives as they look ahead to the decisive Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League encounter.
A 41st-minute Philando Wing own-goal which got Portmore United on the scoresheet, and Fabian Reid's 82nd-minute strike, left nothing to choose between the two teams at the end of the opening contest, which was a tale of two halves at Sabina Park on Monday.
With the stage set for what should be an intriguing second-leg engagement at the same venue next Monday, Williams and his Portmore United outfit will be aiming to consolidate their first half showing, as well as to improve their second half approach, while Gilbert and his team are hoping to be more clinical in the final third, particularly in the latter stages of the contest.
The winner of the second leg will secure a semi-final date with Cavalier.
Williams believes the first-leg result was a reflection on the quality of both teams.
"I think Arnett played a great second half because we gave them too much space and they took advantage of it. But we did what we wanted to do in the first half, and it is just a matter of going back to the training pitch to build on our first half performance and try to sort out the second half," Williams said.
"The legs went in the second half, and we just have to look at that. It's the playoffs and so we know there is not much room for error, so we just have to go back and improve on the things we did well as well as to strengthen those areas where we fell short," he added.
Portmore United, led by the menacing Alex Marshall, were more spirited at the start, as they quickly signalled their intentions courtesy of a high press approach and a series of quick build ups.
Marshall, who was the focal point player of the attack, fired a seventh-minute warning shot from a distance that had Eric Edwards beaten, but the came back off the crossbar. With that scare, Arnett tightened their defensive approach and attempted to close down Marshall, but still the fleet-footed player found ways to get into the final third to pull the trigger, albeit, to no avail at that point.
Arnett eventually settled into their game and should have gone ahead against the run of play in the 21st minute. However, young sensation Keheim Dixon went for power instead of accuracy from close range, and the stinging effort was equally well saved by Tyrone Williams in goal for Portmore United.
Portmore replied 10 minutes later, but were also left ruing their luck, as Stephen Barnett's shot came back off the upright.
They St Catherine-based team inevitably broke the deadlock when Marshall, with a delightful first touch, made space for a cross which Jahien Rose hit onto the upright, but the rebound came off Wing and left Edwards beaten.
With the score unchanged at the break, Arnett Gardens fought back on the resumption, as they not only enjoyed the better of play, but also applied consistent pressure to which Portmore United had no response.
The 'Junglists' should have equalised in the 75th when a weighted cross from substitute Shai Smith found an unmarked Reid at the far post, but the usually clinical striker fired wide from close range.
However, Reid's despair turned to celebrate seven minutes later, as he got on the end of a pass from Wing and made no mistakes on that occasion for his 11th of the season and 85th of an illustrious Jamaica Premier League career.
With the momentum well in their favour, Arnett went for the win, but failed to make their opportunities count. Their final charge in the attacking third was a distant effort from substitute Jamone Shepherd, which was parried by Williams in time added.
Gilbert took heart from the second half performance which he attributes to tactical adjustments.
"We made some tactical adjustments and it paid dividends for us, unfortunately we only managed to put it one, but we created some opportunities in the second half and should have been a little bit more clinical in front of goal. But that's the nature of the game, I am happy that we are not going into the second leg behind," Gilbert said in a post-game interview.
"We have to work a little bit harder and try to keep a clean sheet and hopefully we can score more goals. That is the hope for the second game, we know it's going to be tough again next week both teams are really good so we will see how it goes," he note
'I wish you all the best..': Narine officially shuts door on Windies comeback for T20 World Cup
The hopes of Sunil Narine's pursuers and cricket enthusiasts at large were dashed, as the player has shut the proverbial door on coming out of retirement, thereby ruling himself out of selection to represent West Indies at the upcoming ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup.
West Indies captain Rovman Powell and Cricket West Indies vice-president Azim Bassarath were among those hoping to convince Narine to make himself available for one last hurrah at the June 1-29 global showpiece to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States. However, the decision that fans awaited with bated breaths came recently when Narine confirmed that "that door is now closed" despite his stellar form for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
Narine, 35, is currently leading the tournament's MVP standings after a remarkable run of form, including a magnificent 56-ball unbeaten 109 against Rajasthan Royals last week, his maiden T20 century. He is also KKR's joint-leading wicket-taker, taking nine at 22.11 with his offspin, at an economy rate of 7.10.
That rich vein of form is what initially resulted in Powell's pursuit, as the Jamaican admitted that he had been "whispering in [Narine's] ears" over the previous 12 months, ahead of what will be West Indies' first home World Cup campaign since 2007.
Narine, who retired from international cricket in November 2023, having not played for West Indies since 2019, insisted he was not about to change his mind.
"I'm truly flattered and humbled that my performances recently have moved many people to publicly express their wish for me to come out of retirement and play in the upcoming T20 World Cup," Narine wrote in a statement issued by KKR,
"I have made peace with that decision and whilst I never wish to disappoint, that door is now closed, and I will be supporting the guys who take the field in June for West Indies. Guys who have worked hard for the past few months and deserve to show our wonderful fans that they are capable of winning another title - I wish you all the best," he added.
The Darren Sammy-led West Indies, who won the 2012 and 2016 edition, will be hunting a third title overall and first with Sammy at the helm as coach.
CWI president Shallow hails Harpy Eagles after gripping Windies Championship campaign
President of Cricket West Indies, Dr Kishore Shallow, extended heartfelt congratulations to Guyana Harpy Eagles, who emphasized their remarkable consistency and dedication in topping the just-concluded West Indies Championship.
The Harpy Eagles, who were slow into stride in the four-day cricket campaign, rebounded well in a thrilling showcase of their cricket prowess to retain their title and pocket the US$250,000 prize.
“The Guyana Harpy Eagles have demonstrated immense skills, tactical astuteness, and resilience throughout the tournament, showcasing the true spirit of West Indies cricket," Shallow said.
In a gripping race to the championship, the Harpy Eagles secured a decisive eight-wicket victory over the Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners, which propelled them to the top of the table with 103.8 points. Their path to victory was charted by key performances from Raymond Perez’s, an unbeaten 79 runs, and skipper Tevin Imlach’s crucial half-century.
Their champion status was confirmed for the seventh time in nine years, after Leeward Islands Hurricane and Windward Islands Volcanoes, played out a hard-fought draw, while Barbados Pride were stunned by CWI Academy.
Dr Shallow lauded the collective efforts of all participating teams.
“The West Indies Championship is the pinnacle of regional cricket and serves as a testament to the rich legacy and tradition of cricket in our region. Therefore, it was only fitting that Cricket West Indies further invested in this level of cricket by increasing the financial winnings to incentivize players further and build interest across the region," Shallow reasoned.
As the cricketing community reflects on the tournament’s outcomes, Dr Shallow expressed optimism for the future of West Indies cricket, as the regional body remains committed to fostering excellence and nurturing talent at all levels.
“The dedication and passion exhibited by our teams reaffirm cricket’s enduring significance and relevance, which we are confident will positively produce more desirable and sustained success at the international level," the CWI president noted.
Final standings
Guyana Harpy Eagles – 103.8
Windward Islands Volcanoes – 98.2
Leeward Islands Hurricanes – 94.0
Barbados Pride – 92.8
TT Red Force – 92.0
West Indies Academy – 71.6
Jamaica Scorpions – 59.4
Combined Campuses and Colleges – 30.2
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