Ex-WI seamer says faster pitches will help batsmen and bowlers

Tue, Jan 30, '24

Former TT and West Indies pacer Tony Gray believes Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the various territorial boards must do all in their power to curate pitches across the Caribbean to help nurture the raw fast-bowling talent in the region.

Speaking to Newsday in the aftermath of Shamar Joseph's stunning match-winning spell of seven for 68 against the number-one ranked Australia in the second Test of their two-match series at The Gabba in Brisbane, Gray said similar fast-bowling talents can be unearthed by producing faster tracks and implementing more strategic scouting initiatives.

Joseph, 24, has taken the cricket world by storm in the last two weeks, with his second-innings exploits in The Gabba Test leading West Indies to their first Test win in Australia since 1997. Joseph took the wicket of Aussie talisman Steve Smith with his very first ball in Test cricket, before bowling his way to a five-wicket haul on his Test debut in Adelaide.

Read more at Newsday