PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Former West Indies opener Bryan Davis does not believe West Indies’ Test series victories over minnows Bangladesh and New Zealand should be taken lightly.
Though acknowledging that both teams lay below the Caribbean side in the Test rankings, Davis said the two series showed the West Indies were developing a winning mentality.
“I think the team played with great aplomb and poise and they are in my opinion a new force,” said the 72-year-old Davis who played four Tests against Australia in 1965.
“Yes they have beaten two teams ranked lower than them but it is like writing exams. They have passed the first two and harder ones will come along. They are moving in the right direction with small steps and this is really good to see.”
He continued: “We are saying that New Zealand and Bangladesh are not top teams, but so is the West Indies, so what we can do is beat them and this is what we have done. When you look at last season and even the fact that we lost in England, it shows a team willing to fight. “In England they were at a disadvantage playing in early spring on soft wickets and chilling temperatures. There was still something there to work with and you are seeing the team developing.”
West Indies crushed Bangladesh by ten wickets last week to complete a sweep of the two-Test series. The victory came on the heels of a similar 2-0 win over New Zealand in the Caribbean last August, giving West Indies four Test wins on a trot for the first time in 19 years.
Davis also praised the leadership of captain Darren Sammy and the management staff, pointing out that team appeared settled and united.
“I think captain Sammy has done a good job in motivating the players and everyone seems happy. I still think that he is not too sound technically and he might still struggle to command a place on the team, but he can make it just by the mere fact that he gets these players to play for him,” Davis contended.
“I listened to the comments made by Marlon Samuels after he scored his 260 and he said that he was very happy playing under this present team management. That was a very potent point and it shows the boys are relaxed.”
He continued: “I will tell you something, when the cricketer is not happy, he tends to play for himself and is only interested in himself. I look at this team and you see Chris Gayle coming back and fitting in so well and even smiling.
“He is a man who is respected by his peers and when you see him smiling it means he has accepted playing under coach Ottis Gibson and Darren Sammy.
“Richie Richardson is the manager of this team and he is never in the news. He just goes about doing his job and doing it efficiently and this is now showing in the results. It is good to see the players recognising that a good sound management can lead to better results on the field.”
