Law opens up on team's painful ODI struggles

Sun, Dec 24, '17

"As I said to them before they left [the ground] and I mentioned it [on Sunday], words are cheap, we've got to see actions now ..."

West Indies coach Stuart Law is demanding his players back up their talk on the park following a frank team meeting on Saturday night.

Law addressed the team immediately after their 204-run thrashing in the second one-day international at Christchurch's Hagley Oval, which handed the Black Caps an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

There were some honest conversations, but unless they followed up with their actions in the final ODI, also at Hagley on Boxing Day on Tuesday, it would be futile.

Help could be at hand with Law revealing star batsman Chris Gayle has been battling a viral infection and was slowly on the mend following some recovery time in Christchurch.

Gayle, who missed the second ODI and didn't field in the first match, wasn't at training on Sunday, but was making progress.

Until Sunday, West Indies management had been reluctant to confirm the nature of Gayle's illness.

"Fingers crossed he should be right for the next one ... I saw him [on Sunday morning] at breakfast and he seemed to have a little bit more life about him. It's moving in the right direction," Law said.

The West Indies players acknowledged their performance in the second ODI, where they were rolled for 121 inside 28 overs and allowed the Black Caps to reach 325-6, having been 186-5, wasn't acceptable.

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