By Neto Baptiste
Despite the recent success of the region’s senior cricket squad in the shorter format of the game, legendary former captain and successful batsman, Sir Vivian Richards, believes the team could achieve more, but adds that selectors will be required to make what they may perceive as tough decisions regarding the future makeup of the squad.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Sir Viv noted that although some players have managed to maintain their status as dangerous power-hitters in the popular T20 format, others have seemingly lost that ability while being a risk factor where fitness and running between the wickets are concerned.
“The folks who are responsible for selection may just have to start doing some rethinking on the whole make-up of the team and how you’d like your team to be, but I am not going to say at this point what those little inefficiencies are that we are having at this present moment. I would just put this out there and I am not going to call any names or anything, but apart from the power-hitting side of things we know we have, in these games as well, in terms of rotating the strike maybe the present set-up maybe is not fit for that,” he said.
The West Indies clinched their T20 International series against Australia on Monday, racing to an unassailable 3-0 lead with a dominant six-wicket win in St Lucia on Monday. The regional squad had previously won back to back T20 matches against the tourists by 18 runs on July 9 and then by 56 runs on July 10. The Windies posted 145 in the first match before bowling out Australia for 127 while the Windies posted 196 in the second match before the bowlers removed the visitors for 140.
Amongst the heroics was Antigua’s Hayden Walsh Jr who claimed 3 for 23 in the first match to, along with Obed McCoy (4 for 26), made life difficult for the Australian batsmen. Walsh then returned in the second match to take 3 for 29 to lead the team’s bowling efforts.
Sir Viv commented the spin bowler and others for their efforts and hopes continues to deliver both with the ball and in the field.
“Young Hetmyer played pretty well in the second knock and our own [Hayden Walsh Jr] let us big him up and this is coming from who knows a thing or two about fielding, that guy is an inspiration to any team when he is in the field in terms of Mr. Walsh. The energy, this is what you need, the energy and every, time you see him, his heels are not touching the ground. He enjoys it and he is not one of those guys who don’t want the ball to come to him. It looks to me like he wants all the balls to come to him, he wants to stop all the balls,” he said.
The five-match T20 series is expected to climax on July 16 at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia.