West Indies head coach, Phil Simmons, says he’s looking for the young players to put their hands up during their white-ball tour of Pakistan starting December 13.
The West Indies will face Pakistan in three T20I and three ODIs during the tour that concludes on December 20 and Simmons is expecting members of the team to stand up and be counted.
“We’re looking to see who’s going to put their hand up to be a major player in this team. It’s about them putting up their hands and saying we want to go forward with this team. We want to do the things that are necessary to help this team win,” Simmons said.
Speaking in a press conference Friday after the team’s arrival in Pakistan, Simmons acknowledged that this is the team’s first white-ball assignment since the disastrous World Cup campaign and that it is time to move on from that.
“We know what happened in the World Cup and we’re not going to go back there. We’re looking to move forward and see who now wants to move forward with this team and our different ideas of how we want to play,” he said.
The former Ireland and Afghanistan coach also expressed that while many know what these players are capable of, it is time for them to show it in high-pressure situations.
“Yes, we have an idea of what they can deliver, but they’ve got to go out there and start showing us now that they can deliver under pressure. Playing against Pakistan in Pakistan is as much pressure as you can get,” said Simmons.
Simmons says he’s anticipating how the mental approach within the squad will change.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how things are going to change within this squad, not just from a cricketing point of view but also an attitude point of view,” Simmons said.
The West Indies coach also noted the threat of Pakistan left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.
“He’s been brilliant for Pakistan and I’m sure he will continue to improve. Our batsmen will work on plans to of how to play him, how to score off him and we’ll see how their plans work out when the games come about,” said Simmons.
Bradley Jacks is a budding journalist and an avid sports fan. His love of research and sports has led him to SportsMax.tv, a place where those passions work hand in hand to allow him to produce content.
Cornwall takes four as Leewards takes lead over Guyana at Providence
Rahkeem Cornwall took four wickets as the Leeward Islands Hurricanes shot out Guyana Harpy Eagles for 122 at Providence on the opening day of their match at Providence. At stumps, the Leewards were 133-5, a lead of 11.
Opener Matthew Nandu was the top scorer for Guyana as Cornwall took 4-27 while Javier Spencer 2-35 and Colin Archibald 2-27.
In reply, opener Kieran Powell and Keacy Carty shared in a second-wicket partnership of 69 but after Kevin Sinclair dismissed Powell for 35, the Leewards slipped from 73-2 to 84-4 with Carty and Devon Thomas losing their wickets to Veersammy Permaul for 23 and two, respectively.
Anthony Adams was dismissed by Anthony Adams for 10 with the Leewards still 18 runs behind.
Howeverm Jahmar Hamilton (35) and Kofi James (9) took the Leewards beyond Guyana’s score and have so far put on 29 for the sixth wicket when play concluded for the day.
Permaul has so far taken 2-31.
Hinds and Phillips repel Scorpions bowling to make 302; Scorpions 5-1 at stumps
Terrance Hinds and Anderson Phillip each scored crucial half-centuries to rescue Trinidad and Tobago Red Force from 119-7 to 302 all out against the Jamaica Scorpions at Torouba on Thursday. At stumps, the Scorpions had already a lost a wicket with only five runs on the board.
Trinidad were in trouble on 119-7 with only Tion Webster (30) and Joshua Da Silva (39) making useful contributions against the bowling of Marquino Mindley, Ojay Shields and Derval Green doing the early damage.
However, Hinds and Bryan Charles began the fightback with a 66-run partnership for the eighth wicket which took the Red Force to 185 when Charles was dismissed for only nine. A bigger partnership was to follow between Hinds and Phillip, who put on exactly 100 for the ninth wicket.
Hinds, who looked certain to make a hundred, was eventually dismissed for 94 by Shields who finished with 2-72.
Phillips and Shannon Gabriel took the score past 300 before Jeavor Royal dismissed Gabriel for 10, leaving Phillips unbeaten on 63.
Green took 3-56, Royal 2-60 and Mindley 2-56.
Phillip dismissed Tevin Gilzene for one to close out the day.
Jordan's 5-44 restricts Windward Islands Volcanoes to 237 despite Athanaze, Walcott half-centuries
Alick Athanaze and Tevyn Walcott both scored half-centuries but Akeem Jordan’s five-wicket haul restricted the Windward Islands Volcanoes to a first-innings score of 237 on the opening day of their fifth-round West Indies Championship match against Barbados Pride at Queens Park Oval on Thursday.
At stumps, Barbados were 48-0, trailing by 189 runs.
Athanaze, who has been in good form all season, scored 59 while rescuing the Volcanoes from a tenuous 17-3. He and Sunil Ambris added 47 for the fourth wicket. Ambris was trapped lbw by Roshon Primus for 28 after Windwards Islands Volcanoes recovered somewhat to 64-4.
Athanaze was to feature in another solid partnership, this time 98 with Walcott for the fifth wicket that added further stability to the score. However, Akeem Jordan who earlier picked up the wickets of openers Kimani Melius for a duck and Johann Jeremiah for 11, snapped up the wickets of Walcott for 55 and then Athanaze for 59 as the Windwards slipped to 164-6.
Primus made it 166-7 when he dismissed Larry Edward for one.
After Jordan dismissed Kenneth Dember for six and Jomel Warrican removed Sherman Lewis for nine, Ryan John and Preston McSween added 31 before Warrican ended John’s resolute innings for 41.
Jordan returned figures of 5-44 with Primus supporting with 2-44 and Warrican 2-57.
At the close, Barbados were 48-0 with Zachary McCaskie and Sheyne Moseley, the batsmen at the crease on 21 and 26, respectively.
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