WEST INDIES head coach Phil Simmons has said Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite is growing as a leader.
He made the observation as he also praised the skipper for his determination in the opening Test against Bangladesh, which the Caribbean side won by seven wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday.
The head coach had high praise for captain and opener Kraigg Brathwaite and fast bowler Kemar Roach.
“He seems to be growing in the role as we go along,” Simmons said of the opening batsman, who was named permanent captain in March last year.
SURREY, England (CMC) — Former West Indies white-ball Captain Kieron Pollard is out for the rest of the Vitality Blast after having surgery for a knee injury.
Pollard, the Surrey County Cricket Club’s overseas star, had sustained the injury early on in the side’s campaign in the Twenty20 competition, and the club said in a statement on Tuesday that despite treatment, “he has failed to improve significantly and therefore a decision was taken to gain a surgical opinion”.
“He has undergone successful surgery this morning which will keep him out of action for the next four to six weeks whilst he rehabilitates,” the statement said.
West Indies coach Phil Simmonds expects improved bowling performances from spinner Gudakesh Motie in the future after a fruitless debut with the ball against Bangladesh last week.
Overall, the spinner ended the opening Test with no wicket from 16 overs and conceded 43 runs. The debut stood a far way from his performances in the West Indies Championship this season where he claimed 17 wickets in five matches, earning the attention of the West Indies selectors.
The 27-year-old did, however, make some sort of contribution with the bat after making 23 unbeaten from 21 deliveries, in the first innings.
“He scored a 100 in the Championship, so he can hold the bat and he can score like we saw but his bowling is going to improve,” Simmons said, following the first Test.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Selection Panel has named an unchanged squad for the second Padma Bridge – Dream Fulfilled - Friendship Test match against Bangladesh. The match will be played at the Daren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia from June 24-28. West Indies have a 1-0 lead in the Padma Bridge – Dream Fulfilled – Friendship Test Series, presented by Walton. They won the first match by seven wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday.
Kemar Roach was named the Player-of-the-Match in the opening contest. He had match figures of 7-74 – including the match-winning 5-53 in the second innings. This took him to 249 wickets in his career, joint sixth alongside the legendary Michael Holding, on the West Indies all-time list of wickets-takers. He is also the leading West Indies bowler at eighth position in the latest ICC Test Match bowling rankings.
Lead Selector the Most Honorable Dr Desmond Haynes said: “It was a very good victory in Antigua. The team played really well and must be feeling really confident heading into Saint Lucia for the second match. We have a group of players who are very disciplined and are giving 100 percent. Great credit to our bowlers who worked really hard in the first Test match. We can’t take Bangladesh lightly, they also bowled really well and were quite disciplined. I know we will try our utmost to win the second match.”
There is a new format coming to the Caribbean in 2022 with Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League bringing you THE 6IXTY – Cricket’s Power Game.
The first edition of THE 6IXTY will see men’s and women’s teams compete in a new 60-ball tournament featuring many of the best cricketers from around the world with SKYEXCH the title sponsor for 2022.
This revolutionary format will see brand new innovations that will change T10 cricket and make the game even faster-paced and action-packed.
