GALLE, Sri Lanka, CMC – West Indies will be hoping to put a less-than-ideal build-up behind them when they clash with Sri Lanka in the opening Test here starting today (12:30 am Eastern Caribbean time).
Prior to the start of the tour, they lost head coach Phil Simmons to suspension for comments that were critical of team selection. Then, monsoon rains, typical in the south Asian nation at this time of year, served to disrupt the Caribbean side’s preparation since they arrived nearly two weeks ago.
Added to this, their batsmen failed to spend adequate time in the middle in the drawn three-day game which ended Sunday in Colombo, and their bowlers were kept in the field for the better part of the last two days as the Sri Lanka Cricket Board President’s XI amassed over 400 runs.
While acknowledging that the pre-Test preparation had not gone smoothly, new captain Jason Holder said there was a confidence and focus in the young squad, which he expected to pay dividends over the next few days at the International Cricket Stadium.
“We’ve controlled what we can control. Obviously we had a bit of rain which off-set our practice sessions a fair bit but we’re professional,” the 23-year-old told a news conference.
“I think going into this series we all have our minds tuned to the game. We’ve had a good blow out in the three-day game that we had, and it is now important for our guys to make a mark for themselves and there’s no better opportunity than to start in this series.”
Opting to bat first, West Indies were dismissed for 204 with only opener Kraigg Brathwaite of the frontline batsmen getting among the runs with 46.
Left-hander Darren Bravo, one of the mainstays of the batting line-up, managed only 21 while the experienced Marlon Samuels failed to score and Jermaine Blackwood got three.
Holder said, however, he was not overly worried by these batting failures and backed this department to come good in the Test.
“I’m not too disheartened. It was just a practice game where we felt we needed to spend some time,” he explained.
“Obviously certain batsmen didn’t spend as much time as we would want but in speaking to them and seeing how they’ve been moving in the last few days, they look very, very confident … I have full confidence in our batsmen that they will be able to produce in this Test match.”
The bowlers toiled without much success as well, with Holder one of three seamers to pick up two wickets along with Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel. New-ball bowler Jerome Taylor sat out the encounter.
West Indies have brought two frontline spinners on tour in the uncapped left-armer Jomel Warrican and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, but their attack is expected to be heavily pace-oriented.
And on a pitch expected to be on the slow side, Holder said his pacers needed to be clever in how they went about their business.
“We have a bit of pace in our attack but I think skill comes into play. Obviously in these conditions they’re pretty batting friendly and pace may not rattle many international batsmen at this stage so I think you have to be skilful,” he pointed out.
“Jerome has exhibited that in the last few series and over the past few years he’s been playing for West Indies. Myself and Shannon have been slowly but surely growing into Test cricket. Hopefully whatever team we come up with for the first Test match here in Galle, whoever gets selected goes forward and does their best for the team.”
For Holder, the Test will be a special one. Appointed one-day captain earlier this year, he was last month asked to take over from Denesh Ramdin in the longer format.
He is the youngest ever Test captain and in charge of a struggling unit but says the focus would be on beating Sri Lanka and moulding West Indies into a competitive side.
“It is a special day for me … taking the field for the first time as captain but for me it is bigger than me at this point in time,” Holder told reporters.
“There is a new dimension to our team in terms of a young group so I think it is important for us to get into this Sri Lankan team as early as possible. They’re in a sense finding their way as well and it is just important that we start well, put some early pressure on them and make early inroads into their side.”
He added: “The hardest thing so far was adapting to the heat but I think we’ve done that pretty nicely. Obviously in the Caribbean it is very hot at certain times of the year and we’ve tried to embrace it and enjoy it as much as possible.
“We’ve got a fair bit of spin bowling since we’ve been here and I think the guys have adjusted well and in a sense, gotten accustomed to the spinners and the different conditions here in Sri Lanka.”
SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite (vice-captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Rajendra Chandrika, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Jomel Warrican.
