BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – West Indies coach Ottis Gibson has given his side a failing grade for their batting performance on the opening day of the third Test against South Africa here yesterday.
“It’s been a disappointing batting performance again after recovering some confidence, the way we batted in St Kitts, to come and perform this way,” Gibson told reporters.
“We spoke about winning the toss and batting and putting a big score on the board but we weren’t able to do that today.”
West Indies crashed for an inadequate 231 all out after winning the toss for the first time in the series and opting to bat at Kensington Oval.
They found themselves in early trouble 21 for two before recovering to reach 76 for two at lunch. A collapse after the interval saw them fall away badly as off-spinner Johan Botha (4-56) and fast bowler Dale Steyn (3-37) ripped out the middle order.
Only Dwayne Bravo with 61 and Narinsgh Deonarine, who scored 46, managed to get among the runs.
“You look at a lot of our dismissals not only today but over the course of the series and shot selection has been an issue,” a frustrated Gibson said.
“You sort of talk to players about it and try to work in the nets around shot selection but at the end of the day the players go out in the middle and they are the ones you expect to execute and execute well and that has been a massive cause for concern for us and it is something we have to look at very carefully going forward.”
West Indies entered the contest needing a win to level the series, after losing the first Test by 163 runs and drawing the second in St Kitts last week.
Gibson said West Indies had always planned to bat first, post a sizeable target so spinners Sulieman Benn and Shane Shillingford could benefit from an aging pitch, and challenge for a win.
