Windies target ODI statement
Head coach Stuart Law admitted yesterday that the preceding Test series against New Zealand had been a chastening experience but said West Indies would be looking to make up for that disappointment in the three-match one-day series starting today (Caribbean time).
West Indies are coming off a hammering in the two-Test series, where they lost both matches by wide margins inside four days.
However, Law said the new format represented a chance for West Indies to showcase their ability in a way they had not during the Tests.
“This is a different format for a start. We don’t play Test cricket now until June next year,” the Australian told reporters.
“We need to learn from our mistakes in the Test series, we need to execute better next time we get the opportunity but it’s a different format now. The Test players that have remained here in the one-day side can feed off information about their bowlers, about the conditions, and then we can put a plan in place but it’s nice having a fresh group in.
LOOKING FORWARD
“They do recharge the others and we’re looking forward to a different format this week, and then we move on to another one (format) the following week.”
West Indies lost the first Test in Wellington by an innings and 67 runs and went down by 240 runs in Hamilton just a week later.
Several new players have come in for the 50-overs format with the likes of superstar left-hander Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed and Rovman Powell, all expected to bolster the Windies.
And unlike the Test format, Law said many of the players coming in were experienced and already full of confidence.
“They are pretty experienced in this format, most of them,” Law explained.
“A lot of them have played a fair bit of one-day cricket so I think everyone is just enjoying the challenge of getting out there in the white ball game and showing the world, particularly New Zealand, that we can play the game.”