BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Phil Simmons has set aside concern about the form of some members of the West Indies batting group in the recently concluded two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
While West Indies produced solid batting performances throughout the series, opener John Campbell struggled with just 68 runs from four flyovers while lieutenant Jermaine Blackwood made just 42 runs from his four appearances.
But head coach Simmons said it was unrealistic to expect every batsman to hit form in each series, emphasizing that the most important element was the unit’s overall batting success.
“In every series, you’re not going to get every batter fired,” Simmons noted.
“In one series you will get two or three and in the next you may get two or three different ones, so the important thing is that the team is batting as a team and that every Test match, someone stands up, every test Game Someone is looking for a hundred or a big score.
“We’ve matched that in the last four games where we had two or three 90s, we had a hundred double, we had two hundreds so the batting is coming to light now.”
Campbell, though, has struggled in his 15-Test career, with just two half centuries and an average of 23.
Blackwood’s failure, however, was its first for some time, having averaged 38 in the previous seven Tests following the resumption of international cricket in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The West Indies have started the year positively, sweeping Bangladesh by surprise in two away Tests before the recent withdrawal of the two Tests against Sri Lanka in the Caribbean. And with new players like Kyle Mayers, Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva and Cornwall’s Rahkeem all performing consistently, Simmons said the team’s spirit has been positively transformed.
“I think the dressing room is exciting. There is energy around the dressing room, ”explains Simmons.
“I think winning the two Test matches in Bangladesh brings that kind of energy and there are a lot of young players who are just coming into the team that bring that kind of energy too , whether batting them, keeping them, bowling them.
“Whichever it is, they bring that energy and it’s a nice feeling in the dressing room in a nice way. Players care for each other and want each other to succeed.
“So the energy in the dressing room is great but it can always get better. We are continuing to work on improving it and ensuring it continues to improve. ”
He also praised the efforts of Cornwall who starred with 14 wickets with his spin in Bangladesh and then lasted two half centuries against Sri Lanka.
“He has given everything. I think the wickets in this series didn’t help but he was still bowling really well and with the bat he is now contributing, ”he noted.
“We know he can hold the slips in so his overall performance and what he brings to the team is a big contribution to where we are.”