Whitewash or blackwash, it was a good sweep
Dear Editor,
“We are the champions, my friends, and we’ll keep on fighting till the end. We are the champions, we are the champions, no time for losers, ‘cause we are the champions of the world!”
There’s no victory as sweet as a West Indies victory, and their irregular occurrence makes them even more joyous.
It was another stellar performance from the Caribbean men to win the second Test, proving their victory in the first Test was no fluke. A two-nil victory over hosts Bangladesh is no mean feat, and as West Indies supporters we are overflowing with an abundance of joy in this blackwash.
It is a tour that started poorly and saddled expected disappointment it has ended in an unexpected series sweep.
Too many occasions we’ve heard about the positive takeaways after a series loss, but this time around we can delight in the effort displayed across both Test matches by the team.
There’s no greater example of making best use of the opportunities received than we’ve seen this series, and while a few players would have fell short of their own individual targets, being a part of this victory will certainly numb the pain of their own individual disappointment.
There are a few players watching on who’ll be wondering if they’ve lost their spot as a Test player. The likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Shamarh Brooks, and Shane Dowrich all or most will certainly now have to sit out until the incumbents begin to underperform. After all, none of these players have proven themselves as definite starters, so benchwarmers they’ll have to be until such time.
Kraigg Brathwaite’s leadership deserves much credit. He showed positive intent while batting, which is rare, and his attacking mindset in the field was most refreshing to behold. It’s something that has been lacking from the regular Captain Jason Holder. And while his captaincy or place in the team isn’t under immediate threat, he’ll be the wiser for it to take note of Brathwaite’s leadership in the field.
As we break down and rejoice over this series victory, we look optimistically ahead.
Sri Lanka is expected to tour the West Indies in a few weeks. Talks of turning the corner haven’t begun circulating as yet, but be sure that it will be difficult to temper expectations entering this series, and it will be interesting to see if there is continued growth or relapse.
Speaking of relapse, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) or Cricket West Indies (CWI) has historically contributed to the relapse. Oftentimes strides forward have been derailed by the actions of the board. John Dyson and Richard Pybus were coaches that were relieved of duty after taking the team in the right direction. Immediately after their dismissal relapse occurred. Current Coach Phil Simmons suffered a similar fate in his first coaching stint. Let’s all hope the CWI has realised the folly of its ways and not make a similar mistake to that of the past.