A team of WINDIES’ standing had the correct approach of safety first on Day 5 in Antigua

Fri, Mar 26, '21

by KRISSANIA YOUNG

Cricket continues its rapid evolution. I have read at least three articles in the last seven days championing the reasons why an innings with a strike rate in the region of 130 (in T20s) might not necessarily be a ‘good’ one, or topics along those lines. We have seen the effects these new developments have had on the longest format—’speeding up’ Test match cricket. So much so that there was a real air of expectancy with respect to a positive result, even as the West Indies required upwards of 300 runs on Day 5.

Let’s go back to Monday evening, when Rahkeem Cornwall walked off to congratulatory applause for his unbeaten maiden Test match half-century—extending the West Indies’ first-innings lead to 99 runs. The Caribbean side was in firm control of this, the first of two Tests, against a visiting Sri Lanka. Yet, when Dimuth Karunaratne shook hands with Nkrumah Bonner on Thursday evening, signaling the share of the spoils in the encounter, it was the former who would have been the more disappointed, consequence of a poor second innings bowling display by the hosts (irrespective of the lack of assistance from the pitch).

Though Sri Lanka would dispense with the WINDIES tail in the second over of Day 3, the Men in Maroon were looking steady and assured as they went about restricting the Sri Lankans to a chase-able total. And while I don’t mean to point fingers, we might want to focus on the hands of Jason Holder, who let slip a sitter at leg-slip, presented to him by Oshada Fernando—the instigator of the Sri Lankan fight-back, who went on to score 91—courtesy of one, Rahkeem Cornwall, with the score still 39 for 1.

The West Indies’ display in the field was then marred by more dropped catches, overthrows, poor Player Reviews and inconsistencies in both line and length. Five quick wickets following the Tea interval, however, along with just the loss of John Campbell at stumps on Day 4, did just enough to give Caribbean fans hope, heading into the ultimate day.

It might have been the historic Day-5 run-chase in Chittagong some five weeks ago now, or India’s last day victory at the almost impenetrable Gabba not too long before that, or possibly the results in the white-ball series prior to this: but there was an almost-contagious wave of belief that the West Indies could indeed get those additional 341 runs from the remaining (minimum) 80 overs on the day. Therefore, discussion and disappointment have followed this drawn result in which the West Indies have been accused of showing no intent to ‘get the win’. 

Have we so soon forgotten that only 285 runs were needed on the final day in Bangladesh? A whole 56 less than what was required here, albeit with two fewer wickets remaining, heading into the final day.

 Or did we assume that India’s decision to ‘go after’ the bowling in Brisbane—to hand Australia their first defeat at that ground in 33 years—was made on the day?   

Ravi Shastri (Head Coach of the Indian Men’s Team), during the Australia/India Test series: “I don’t even mind us losing 4-0, but we are known for the brand of cricket that we play, that should never change and we should never play conservative and we should always look to be more positive”. [Cricbuzz]

India—under captain Virat Kohli and coach Shastri—now ranked the no.1 Test team in the world, are renowned for their fearless brand of cricket: a culture wherein, they are willing to risk losing, in order to win. As for this West Indies Test team and coach Phil Simmons, can we readily pinpoint their identity? Not just yet! Still, I know that neither the team nor the fans would have been contented going one-nil down in the series so long as the West Indies batsmen ‘went after’ the Sri Lankan bowling.

The dynamics in limited-overs cricket differs, so, too, a team’s mentality and approach. We are hardly treated to tied games and that’s where the phrase “they have no choice but to go after it” comes in; when teams play with two possible results in mind—win, or lose. However, in Test cricket, when a third option is accessible, it also aids in shaping the approach of a team.

In an alternate view, perhaps the West Indies went about this potential run-chase in the correct manner—safety first; being watchful, ensuring they eliminated the possibility of an early collapse on the day.

Having achieved that, there was still the question of who would lead the charge, with Bonner and Brathwaite set at the crease. Given the characteristics of the two batsmen, there was no obvious answer. And when Brathwaite misjudged the length of one from Lasith Embuldeniya, after skipping down the track, Mayers came and did the sensible thing, in setting himself.

The perfect time to ‘have a go’ would have been after Tea, when there was a century stand already on between Bonner and Kyle Mayers, with both batsmen set, having passed their respective half-century marks. Unfortunately, Mayers was caught at slip four deliveries after the interval, with Jermaine Blackwood bowled 21 runs later. In truth, the West Indies waited, but the opportunity just never presented itself for the no.8 ranked Test team to add those 341 runs on Day 5 at North Sound.

Maybe in two- or three-years' time, there will be ten articles drawing comparisons from this Test to a similar one—one we actually went on to win—in awe of just how much the Caribbean side has grown. Still, for now, let’s pretend that the West Indies’ sensible approach, and their batsmen doing an admirable job in saving this Test, is a good thing.