Radford says batting group on upward trajectory

GROS ISLET, St. Lucia (CMC) – Batting coach Toby Radford says he is pleased with the manner in which West Indies’ batting has developed during the England series, calling this a positive for the side – especially with the ICC World Cup looming on the horizon. Pointing to the intent and the aggression, Radford said the batting group had made major strides – not only in the just-concluded five-match one-day series – but in the preceding three Test rubber which the hosts won 2-1 to regain the Wisden Trophy.
“I think we’ve been very positive and the mindset of the players to not let England settle and to take them off their line and length, to be very positive and put bad balls away [has been a great approach],” Radford said. “To show intent all the way through the innings and we’ve done that and lots of people have contributed. I think we set the tone in the Test series and we can go back as far as Jason’s (Holder) 200 in Barbados which put pressure on England’s bowlers and we’ve done it all the way through the series.
“It would be nice in these T20s if we can do more of that.” West Indies’ batting was exhilarating in the one-day series which they came from behind to tie 2-2 after the third match in Grenada was abandoned due to rain. They posted their joint third-highest total in ODIs in the opener in Bridgetown in a losing effort and then topped that performance in the fourth match in Grenada when they were bowled out for an all-time best 389, chasing a record 419 for victory.
Veteran Chris Gayle, returning to the squad for the series following a seven month break, smashed 424 runs with two hundreds and two half-centuries, to average 106. In the final ODI in St. Lucia last weekend he blitzed a 19-ball 50 – the fastest ever by a West Indian in ODIs – as the hosts overhauled England’s paltry 113 to tie the series.