NORTH STAFF, Antigua, GMC – West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has dismissed all ideas that his side will be content with a draw in the second Test starting here yesterday, arguing they intend to approach the fight with a positive mindset in a bid to win their second consecutive series next year.
The home team dominated the first two and a half days of the opening Test last week before Sri Lanka rebounded with an outstanding batting performance in their second innings, to negate every chance of victory in the West Indies.
And while watching his side easily bat out the final day last Thursday to win a tie despite a target weight of 375, Simmons said West Indies would not lower their aspirations for the second Test.
“I am never satisfied with an equal game. I think the equal game is important to us [in the last Test] because they played well in their second innings … but I won’t [satisfied], ”Simmons told a media conference yesterday.
“When you play not to lose, without exception you are going to make mistakes because at some point you are going to be hesitant in your approach.
“But when you go out there playing to win, if the chance like in the last game didn’t come and win it, at least we were in a position to pull the game.
“For me personally and for this team, we don’t go out there playing not to lose. We play to win and then we put ourselves in a position where we can win or save the game. ”
He added: “When I bring in the word lose, it immediately starts with negativity so if I come into the game playing to win, then I can adjust and save the game.
“I think when I come into the game not to lose, then I’m already putting a negative bias at the start of the game so I prefer to look at it because we’re playing to win. ”
For victory, the West Indies are aware that their attack will have to fire on all cylinders.
Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph struggled in the last Test, with Gabriel going without a wicket in 27 overs and Joseph picking up one wicket in 32 overs.
Gabriel appeared out of all sorts in particular but Simmons pushed back on suggestions that the Trinidadian with barrel was a concern heading into the second Test.
“Three bowlers clicked and we got wickets. The other two had a bad game so we’re looking forward to them clicking here and with the five bowlers on a song, that’s what we want so that’s what we’re looking for, ”Simmons noted.
“In Bangladesh he bowled extremely well and he (Gabriel) and he were the lead on the occasion of the first Test which turned around things with his evening spell.
“He had a bad game and bowlers have that. Two of the top bowlers didn’t have a good game so that’s one game.
“I think he’s been on a song in New Zealand, he was on a song in Bangladesh so not a single game changes him as the strike bowler.”
Having started the year well with a clean sweep of the Bangladesh Tests and also played impressively in the Test drawn last week, Simmons said another strong performance would be important to the group’s development.
“It will be extremely important because it will show that we have some sort of consistency in our overall cricket and it would be huge for the fact that we started the Test cricket year wise on a positive note, winning two [Tests] and making sure we win two series would be so high for us. ”
The West Indies announced an unbeaten squad for the second Test late on Sunday.
SQUARE:
WEST INDUSTRIES – Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (lieutenant), Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican.
SRI LANKA – Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Dasun Shanaka, Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Roshen Silva, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ramesh Mendis, Vishwa Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Asit. Embuldeniya Lasith.