KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) — Head Coach Phil Simmons has again bemoaned the lack of situational awareness among the West Indies batting group but has urged the Caribbean to throw their support behind the squad, following the 1-1 series draw against Pakistan here Tuesday.

West Indies pulled off a dramatic one-wicket win in the first Test at Sabina Park last week but crumbled to a 109-run defeat in the second Test at the same venue, after failing to chase down an improbable 329 for victory at the same venue.

With the pitch offering help to the fast bowlers, the home side's batsmen struggled in both innings, dismissed for 150 in the first and 219 in the second, after tottering on 159 for seven at one stage.

“We see that we can bat. We're spending 110 balls for 50 runs but it's how we read the situation in the game,” Simmons said following Tuesday's defeat.

Read more at The Jamaica Observer

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Fail Simmons should start looking for a different kind of employment. He is a total failure. Joseph did more coaching in this series than Fail Simmons.

In reply to dclar301
what the hell is this guy talking about who have we been supporting all this time in 15 years we can't produce one test batsman because people like Simmons and his like have been monumental failure at what they do

Just reading about the exploits of Root today has left me green with envy. If only we had a player of that calibre, that would have made a difference in the three home tests that we lost because the other side had one player (not of the same class as Root) who was able to hold the wall for the side. That was really the only difference between us, SA and Pakistan. But looking back at our history, we have only produced 9 great batsmen: Headley, 3 Ws, Sobers, Kanhai, Richards, Lara and Chanders, with a number of additional pretty good ones like Nurse, Kalli, Lloyd, Gayle etc. We therefore probably should not be surprised that our cupboard is bare at this time but we are in a seriously bad way when we can only produce 2 centuries in 12 outings in 6 tests. That means that 132 men batted and only 2 could pass 100.

This sound like when someone in trouble im call out im friend fus hoping it will take the focus off him.

They need to work harder.

If you don't have the tools to get the job done, you will never turn out an excellent product. Those guys are lacking in technique and it's too late for them to get to the drawing board.

The selectors should identify players who are currently out of the test side as well as youngsters with adequate technique and fast track them to test cricket henceforth. A heavy weighting should be given to proper technique by the selectors.

It's the only option left to the selectors. We have passed the point of diminishing returns.

Allow the current test batsmen the liberty of flailing their bats in T20 cricket.

Coach Simmons, you joker. This is what you should be focusing on. Do some problem identification and make serious recommendations instead of yapping the same things over and over again.

But does Simmonds support these batsmen, does he help them with situation awareness? Every match they seem to commit the same errors, swinging for the fence when they should be satisfied with just hitting a four.

In reply to dayne

We cannot always blame the coach when players do not apply what was taught during trainig sessions. I have been advising for a long time now that some of our players need psychlogical coaching and motivation, because once some get on the field, they totally forget the playbook and techniques. For example, how can a coach teach a seasoned batsman to leave balls way outside of the offstumps during a crucial innings when we are playing for a draw to win the series? Guys were still chasing balls, edging and been caught, some with their bats hanging out. Or better yet, how do you teach a senior player like Powell to ground his bat in the crease, an action which even primary school cricketers should know as this is a basic foundation of cricket rules? Why blame Simmons?

In reply to natty_forever

Do you really think the problem with Chase and Bonner is that they are not working hard enough?
I DO NOT.

If Hetty and Pooran had the results that those two had against Pakistan I would say that they are not working hard enough!!

In reply to Slipfeeler

I agree that players should be responsible for their decisions, but WI players seem to need people to remind them what should be the strategy at different points in the match. That's the reason coaches are employed in these times.

In reply to bird
Hope was suppose to be the Root of WI it seamed he was bless with all the requirements but we see where that has gone

In reply to bird

There's still hope for hope. He's still young, and to be honest, is one of the top odi batsmen in the world, so it's not that he's been a complete waste.