Holder praises Windies progress despite final defeat

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Captain Jason Holder has hailed the progress made by West Indies in the just concluded Tri-Nations Series, saying the lowly ranked side had defied the expectations of many.

West Indies, ranked number eight in One-Day Internationals, entered the series against World champions Australia and the number three-ranked South Africa, as massive underdogs.

However, they managed to clinch a spot in the final against the Aussies and though they were outplayed by 58 runs in Sunday’s final at Kensington Oval, Holder believes his side had much to be proud of.

“At the beginning of this tournament, a lot of people didn’t expect us to reach this final. People expected South Africa and Australia to just roll over us,” he told a media conference here.