Morton: I'm happy to contribute
West Indies batsman Runako Morton said he was happy to have assisted his team in getting to 237 for 4 at the end of day one after starting badly against Somerset in their first and only warm up game before taking on England."The team really needed that one today and I am happy I was able to put my hand up today and contribute," Morton said after hitting an aggressive and unfinished 103.
Morton scored his runs from 118 deliveries, hitting fifteen fours and two sixes before retiring hurt with a slight muscle strain in his right thigh.
"It was a slight strain to my right thigh and it's going to be fine, nothing to worry about, I should be fine," Morton assured journalists at the end of the day's play.
West Indies found themselves in a difficult situation at 44 for 4 having lost Daren Ganga (2), Chris Gayle (24), Devon Smith (5) and captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (10).
Morton then combined with Shivnarine Chanderpaul to put on a monumental 193 run fifth wicket partnership to ensure that the West Indies did no continue to falter. As Chanderpaul played a solid hand, Morton attack, sometimes with violent ferocity to race to his half century then triple figures.
By the end of the day's play Chanderpaul gathered 82 from 115 deliveries with nine fours and with him at the crease is all rounder Dwayne Bravo on 6.
"Shiv is our most experienced batsman and he played well to stabilize the innings," Morton observed.
"Tomorrow we have to look to come out and build on that," the 28 year old right hander said.
Morton said that despite the conditions suiting the bowlers initially, the batsmen needed to focus on doing the basics correctly.
"It's normal this time of year in England for the ball to nip around a bit, I've played here a few times so I'm aware of that, the key thing is to play positively, play straight and not push at too many deliveries away from your body," Morton explained.
"It's a matter of getting accustomed to the conditions, getting accustomed to playing in these conditions and playing within your strengths," Morton said.
On a stop-start day, due to constant rain intervention, Morton and Chanderpaul maintained exemplary focus and concentration to ensure that the Windies encountered little strife after an initial period of serious bother.
"For the next few days there is a lot of rain forecast but hopefully it stays away and we are able to get some more cricket in," Morton said.
"You come to the ground to play cricket but at the end of the day you have no control over mother nature so you have to accept the situation in terms of the weather," Morton said.