WI need to be ‘brutally honest’, says Bradshaw

Former West Indies all-rounder, Ian Bradshaw, has warned the Caribbean side their batting has to be more clinical if they are to successfully defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in India later this year.

The 46-year-old said while West Indies defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in the just-concluded series in Antigua, the home side lacked conviction in their batting and was also guilty of irresponsible stroke-play, which needlessly put the innings under pressure.

Bradshaw also urged West Indies management to be “brutally honest” with the squad in order to lift the level of performance.

“I’m disappointed by the manner of our victories,” said Bradshaw, who featured in five Tests and 62 One-Day Internationals.

Read more at Jamaica Gleaner

Sunil Narine and the fading of offspin

Since the pandemic began, the more thorough ICC-led process of assessing actions has not been available even in top-flight international cricket - it being difficult to ensure all those reported can travel to labs. If a bowler were to be called in a bilateral series tomorrow, their action would be judged by an expert panel on video footage alone. This panel could have on it people who run the testing labs, but it's still only video footage they're looking at. So it's entirely understandable that Narine doesn't feel ready right now. The IPL has been his main gig for some time and if he'd played international cricket before it, been reported and his action found illegal, under the regulations he would not be able to play in the IPL.

More or less, this is where Narine has been - not feeling ready with his action - and in this lingering pose ever since he was first reported in the Champions League in 2014 - twice in a matter of days. He has been reported four more times since. At various times he has been banned from bowling in international cricket, banned from bowling off-breaks in the IPL, and placed on warning lists in the PSL. Each time he has corrected his action and returned; sometimes, as ahead of the 2015 IPL, he had to be cleared twice by different labs, just because.

Read more at ESPNCricinfo

Hope slams shot-filled half century as President's XI dominate Sri Lanka

Shai Hope hit a brilliant unbeaten half-century to follow up Roston Chase’s four-wicket haul as Cricket West Indies’ President’s XI dominated Sri Lanka on Wednesday’s first day of a two-day tour match.

After bowling out the visitors for just 172 just after tea, the President’s XI reached the close on 103-1 with Hope unbeaten on a stroke-filled 60 off just 72 balls.

Hope was the embodiment of class as he played several stunning shots, the two best of which went for sixes. The first was a nonchalant flick over deep square leg and the second a slog sweep smacked with great authority, which cleared wide long-on by some distance. He has also hit ten fours so far. Left-hander Darren Bravo ended the day on a solid 30 not out off 69 balls and has so far put on 94 for the second wicket with Hope.

Read more at SportsMax