Veteran West Indies pacer, Kemar Roach reckons his side can out bowl the South Africans out twice as they prepare to head into the second Test which begins tomorrow.
Roach, believes the experience in the bowling department of the Caribbean unit is superior to that of South Africa despite the fact that the West Indies lost the first test match inside three days by an innings and 63 runs.
In that contest, West Indies were bundled out for 97 and 162.
South Africa, in their only innings, posted 322 after being asked to field when West Indies won the toss.
Seamer Roach at yesterday’s press conference said, “I think there is enough experience in the dressing room, myself, Jason [Holder], hopefully we could have Shannon [Gabriel] around, Jayden [Seales] has shown great maturity obviously Alzarri [Joseph] is still in the fray as well,” he said.
“I think once we get our plans right, execute as we have been doing for the last two years I don’t see why we can’t out bowl the South African team,” he added.
Roach is the senior statesman with 64 Tests and 216 wickets under his belt while Gabriel has taken 157 wickets from 54 Tests. Holder, who ranks eighth in the International Cricket Council’s bowling rankings, the highest by a West Indian currently and is also the number-one ranked all-rounder, has 127 wickets from 48 Tests. Joseph has played 16 Tests and has taken 38 wickets while Seales made his debut last week, claiming three wickets.
The 32-year-old Roach, who revealed that his body is fit as ever, contended that the bowling department has been doing well over the years in spite of South Africa’s 322 pointing out that they were 222 for seven at one stage.
“I think the bowlers are doing well. Obviously we had a debutant in Jayden in the last match. I thought he went very well in the innings but bowling at a set batsman of a tail ender is always a difficult situation, especially when he is scoring and scoring well. He has been batting for a while, he was set, it is always tough to try to get him out or restrict him as well as we could.
“I thought we handled the situation pretty well. I thought it could have been worse but from 222 for eight [seven] obviously we would have liked to bowl them out for 250 but cricket plays funny sometimes,” he said.
“I just want the guys to remain positive, keep executing the plans and believe in ourselves.”
