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ICC World Cup 2019 Preview: Will West Indies' Calypso Kings come to the party?

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Many thanks to [MENTION=43242]Dr_Bassim[/MENTION] for this preview.

On paper, West Indies are not supposed to compete with the big team favourites like England, India and Australia. But as they say, games are not won on paper. This team is known for its charismatic style and big hitting stroke-makers and is one which will never run out of hitters. They may have re-branded them as “The Windies” in recent times, but those who have followed cricket for a while will know that that the West Indies team of yore was renowned for winning two consecutive World Cups in ‘75 and ‘79 at a time when ODI cricket was just developing. Fast-forward to 2019, and you could be forgiven for harbouring hopes that the somehow a bunch of 11 cricketers from various islands could somehow gel together and produce a performance to inspire the dawn of cricket on the “Indies Islands” once more. Taking a back-burner to basketball most of the times, captain Jason Holder, the inspiring all-rounder will be looking to show through his individual and team’s performances that they are force to be reckoned with and are ready to carve out another glorious chapter in the history of West Indies Cricket.


22WindiesPreview.ashx



Strengths:

It’s obvious where the strengths of West Indies lie which is in the big hitting batsmen, who swing the bat and hit those maximums and do it with ridiculous ease. The batting spearhead is none other than Chris Gayle whose ability to clear most grounds of the world with immaculate ease is second to none. The recall of Evin Lewis and some other talented batsmen in the form of Shimron Hetmyer and Shai hope, give hope to the Windies fans, that the batting can construct totals beyond the ability of chasing sides, or chase challenging games and win them on batting alone. The fast bowling in the form of Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach is also not to be ignored. Especially Roach on his day, can be lethal and single-handedly win games for West Indies.


Weaknesses:

If West Indies have any weaknesses, it’s in the spin department. With the rapid decline of Sunil Narine, following ICC clampdown on chucking, West Indies did well to not include him in their World Cup plans as he simply wasn’t good enough. But that does mean the selectors were left with a huge headache in the spin department. Ashley Nurse can be good, but leaks runs and hasn’t got the control to make it count in hard times. A lack of genuine spinner could hurt West Indies chances, especially at times when the ball keeps going to the boundary and some control on the game is necessary.


Players to Watch:

Chris Gayle - The name needs no defining. A firing Gayle is a huge problem for the opposition as he can simply go in his “zone mode” and finish off the games for the West Indies. If Chris Gayle has a good World Cup in batting, it is almost certain that West Indies will be close to a semi-final spot.

Kemar Roach - Playing in his 3rd world Cup, he should have the experience to help West Indies hit their bowling targets along with his partner Shannon Gabriel and the new boy Oshane Thomas. If Roach has his good days, a lot of team’s top order will be blown away quickly.

Shai Hope - The stylish batsman has much to offer and if he has a good World Cup, West Indies will definitely make huge strides forward.

Shimron Hetmyer - New and fresh to this World Cup, this is one batsman I would watch out far, especially after his fast century against England. If he gets going, a lot of heads will turn.


Prediction:

It’s hard to predict how far the West Indies will go in this tournament. Yes, they seem to have the right type of batsmen but all of them are aggressive stroke-makers. However, if the pitches are flat and there is no swing on offer, I wouldn’t be surprised if West Indies being the giant-killers they are, still knock out a top team to reach at least the semi-final stage. Winning the entire event seems unlikely, but stranger things have happened in cricket. Let’s just hope to the beat of Samba music that the West Indies'' Calypso Kings will come to the party and deliver entertainment to all of us during upcoming World Cup.


Full Squad

Jason Holder (Captain)
Chris Gayle (Captain)
Kemar Roach
Darren Bravo
Andre Russell
Shai Hope
Sheldon Cottrell
Evin Lewis
Shannon Gabriel
Carlos Brathwaite
Ashley Nurse
Shimron Hetmyer
Fabian Allen
Oshane Thomas
Nicholas Pooran
 
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West Indies will always challenge all good sides but good enough to win the world cup? Not sure.
 
They are just making the numbers. No chance of making the semi's, forget it!
 
I hope Shai, shimron and Nicholas shine in this world cup.They can surely surprise few teams.On flat wickets they can score 350 without breaking sweat.
 
West Indies have the batters to out bat most teams. Also have some really good fast bowling options. The worry for them is their spin options. I don't see Nurse causing too many issues. Also with the amount of lefties and their known problems against spin, opposition will target them with spin. I think this will be there main downfall . But I can see them entertaining plenty. The days of West Indies being treated as a lesser side is over imo.
 
I'd love for West Indies to win the World Cup but sadly I don't see it happening. Their bilateral ODI form has been wretched bar a spirited draw against England recently.

They have a fantastic array of power hitters with Chris Gayle eager to go out on a high. But the bowling is a concern as the likes of Roach and Holder are far more effective with the red Dukes than the white Kookaburra. Thomas is exciting as he's one of the fastest bowlers on the planet but on these flat English pitches you need to also have variety.

Why West Indies have retained Ashley Nurse yet again is beyond me. He offers no wicket-taking threat and doesn't even contain well either !
 
Lost to Bangla twice in tri-series. That should tell you what their chances really are.
 
Let me tell you this, WI is most certainly going to surprise many this year.
 
They should have taken bishoo over nurse. On English wickets, nurse will go for plenty. But this is the best West Indies squad I've seen in years - since 1999 atleast. They may not have the consistency to go to semis but any team that underestimates them is in for a shock.
 
Their batsmen do have the x-factor but spin bowling may prove to be their Achilles heel, even though the spinners in this world cup are nothing to write home about, I still expect they will be good enough to counter West Indies.
 
Jason Holder confident West Indies match-winners will deliver when it counts

When it comes to potential match-winners, West Indies are undoubtedly blessed - but captain Jason Holder insists it counts for nothing unless they can deliver as a team.

The two-time champions saw their first Cricket World Cup warm-up match against South Africa abandoned after 12.4 overs

Skipper Holder not concerned his players are undercooked and backs his men to turn it on during the tournament

When it comes to potential match-winners, West Indies are undoubtedly blessed - but captain Jason Holder insists it counts for nothing unless they can deliver as a team.

The Windies were left frustrated after their opening ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup warm-up game against South Africa in Bristol fell foul of the weather with just 12.4 overs played.

Despite the anti-climatic end after several false starts, there was still time for South Africa's Hashim Amla to score another half-century alongside Quinton de Kock, who also finished unbeaten on 37.

And while West Indies captain Holder would have liked his players to get more game time under their belts, he saw enough to learn some important lessons for challenge ahead.

“The two batsmen played really well and the wicket played well.” he said. “We have to make some slight adjustments in terms of our length as we were probably a little bit too short.

“We offered a bit of width at times as well, so in these conditions where the ball doesn’t do as much I just think we need to be as accurate as we possibly can in terms of line and length.

“Then we can try and create some problems there and I think if we can stack up some dot balls and stack up some pressure overs together, more often than not you get the wickets you want.

“Andre Russell is one of those guys who is really impactful, he’s an impact player and he’s a match-winner, so we expect guys like him to play a big role in our World Cup campaign.

“It’s a matter for everyone to come together. We also have guys like Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, I could go through a whole host of names in this squad who are potential match-winners.

“It’s just about us bringing it together collectively and us delivering an attractive brand of cricket.”

South Africa will now turn their attention to their opening game of the tournament against England, while Windies face New Zealand in their second warm-up clash at the Bristol County Ground on Tuesday.

And coming off the back of the Ireland Tri-Nation Series earlier this month, Holder is not concerned his side will be undercooked when they begin their Cricket World Cup campaign against Pakistan.

“It was not ideal today, but it’s out of our control,” he said. “Obviously it’s a situation where we need to hope we get some cricket in in the next two days against New Zealand.

“I’m definitely not [worried about being undercooked]. We just came from Ireland and playing the Tri-Nations Series there, so we’ve had a lot of cricket leading up to this.

“Guys have been playing IPL cricket and everyone was playing cricket leading up to this tournament, so I think we’re all well attuned to the conditions.”

Holder also stressed the significance of managing his players in the build-up to the tournament after some expressed surprise at seeing 39-year-old Chris Gayle out in the field.

“Chris is definitely up for it and we’re just trying to manage him over these two games, giving everyone a chance to get a hit out and a bowl,” he added.

“It’s one of these things where we just try to keep everyone as fresh as possible. Chris is one of the guys who carries a bit of age and he’s a senior guy within the squad.

“Although we want him to be out having a knock in the middle, we still want to manage him in terms of his time spent on his feet as to everyone else in the team.

“It’s a situation where we are just trying to manage everyone and I think everyone is equally committed as they should be and we’re just looking to start the tournament well.”
 
PakLFC said:
They are just making the numbers. No chance of making the semi's, forget it!
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this is simply not true. It all depends on if thier batsmen are in form. If on form, they have possibly the most destructive batting unit out of all the 10 teams. There is no way any team will be able to outbat their destructive batsmen on form.
 
light said:
this is simply not true. It all depends on if thier batsmen are in form. If on form, they have possibly the most destructive batting unit out of all the 10 teams. There is no way any team will be able to outbat their destructive batsmen on form.
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I don't know much about their batting other then Gayle and Bravo.
 
PakLFC said:
I don't know much about their batting other then Gayle and Bravo.
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They have batsman like Hetmyer, Lewis that are destructive players. Then Hope who is their most consistent player and most likely to get a big score.
 
The Viper said:
They have batsman like Hetmyer, Lewis that are destructive players. Then Hope who is their most consistent player and most likely to get a big score.
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They are inexperienced which is why I expect them to struggle. We'll do them:faf
 
West Indies are a dark horse for me. They cannot be taken lightly.
 
West Indies captain Jason Holder has asserted that his side are sufficiently prepared for this summer's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 in England and Wales, despite them going wicketless in a rain-affected warm-up bout against South Africa.

On a frustrating day in Bristol which saw showers halt play on several occasions, South Africa breezed to 95/0 inside 13 overs, before an extended downpour put an end to proceedings entirely.

Holder was not concerned about the dearth of match practice for his team prior to the tournament however, citing some of his players' recent IPL campaigns and West Indies' tri-series in Ireland as reason to believe that they are suitably equipped. "We are absolutely not (undercooked)," he said to reporters on Sunday, 26 May.

"We just came from Ireland, we had a series there, we’ve had a lot of cricket leading up to this. A lot of the guys have been playing IPL cricket and everybody has been playing cricket leading up to the tournament.

"We are well attuned to the conditions and we are just looking to start the tournament."

While insisting that the side are "under control", Holder did stress the importance of getting some play under their belts when they take on New Zealand on 28 May, also at Bristol, in their second and final warm-up.

"It just wasn’t our day," he said. "We are under control, but we are just in a situation where we need to get some cricket in in the next two days against New Zealand."

Holder praised the efforts of Proteas openers Quinton de Kock (37*) and Hashim Amla (51*), who looked fluent throughout their knocks in the washed out warm-up fixture, but he also highlighted areas in which his bowlers can improve moving forward.

De Kock and Amla made light work of the Windies' bowling attack De Kock and Amla made light work of the Windies' bowling attack
"We were probably a little bit too short and we offered a bit of width at times as well," he said. "Especially in these conditions where the ball doesn’t do as much, I just think you need to be as accurate as you possibly can in terms of holding line and length, and then trying to create some problems there.

"If you stack up some dot balls, and stack up some pressured overs together, more often than not you get the wickets you are looking for."

Chris Gayle, 39, was present in the field during the match's 13 overs, to the surprise of some. He even stayed outside for a prolonged period of time in the rain to take pictures and sign autographs for adoring fans. While the 'Universe Boss' might be keen to stretch his legs for now, Holder implied that he will not over-exert the opening batsman in a bid to keep him fit.

"Chris is definitely up for it," he said. "We just try to keep everybody as fresh as possible. Chris is obviously one of those guys who carries a bit of age and is a senior guy within the squad, so while we want him to have a knock out in the middle, we still want to manage the time spent on his feet, as we do everyone else in the team."

While lauding the highly-anticipated comeback of explosive all-rounder Andre Russell, Holder was also enthusiastic in his assessment of the young players in his squad, claiming that he could give a "whole host of names" from his team that could be headline-makers in his summer's flagship tournament. "Russ (Russell) is one of those guys who is very impactful, he is a power-player and a match-winner," he said.

"We expect guys like Russ to hold a big fort in our World Cup campaign. It’s a matter of everyone coming together, we’ve got other guys like Nicolas Pooran, Evin Lewis, I could go through a whole host of names in this squad who are potential match-winners on any given day.

"It’s about bringing it together collectively and playing an attractive brand of cricket."

https://www.cricketworldcup.com/news/en/1226779
 
If Gayle and their couple of batsmen get going it would be very difficult to stop this West Indian team. The team has gelled really well under Holder and u just can't count them out.
 
This all comes down to how well Gayle does in the beginning and how consistent WIs powerful lower order can be. Their middle order is an issue and as good as Hope is in getting runs, he gets them far too slowly for the modern game. HOWEVER, they all looked very impressive against England and on equally small boundaries here, there is no reason they can not return the performances, especially if Cottrell, Roach, Holder and co can bowl well.
 
Watch out for West Indies for this World Cup (they may have a surprise under sleeves)

West Indies may be the biggest surprise for upcoming Word Cup ( watch out folks !!)

They have a strong batting line up and good fast bowling.

Gayle, Lewis, Bravo, Hope, Russell and Holder are the players we know what they are capable off. Nurse is a great all round lower end batsmen

West Indies recently defeated England in a 5 match ODI series

They just put a 421 vs decent New Zealand side and now bossing the warm up game.

For me I think West Indies have players that can take them to at least Semis and from there they can be a formidable force to recon with for final two matches.
 
This West Indies side sure knows how to entertain. Whether it’s the explosive batting of Chris Gayle and Andre Russell or the raw pace bowling of Oshane Thomas and Kemar Roach, their Caribbean flair is always fun to watch.

This West Indies side sure knows how to entertain. Whether it’s the explosive batting of Chris Gayle and Andre Russell or the raw pace bowling of Oshane Thomas and Kemar Roach, their Caribbean flair is always fun to watch.

Ask any cricket fan which side they would most like to see go far in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 other than their own and the answer is likely to be the same.

That’s partly due to the romanticism that surrounds the West Indies, born from “that team” of the 1970s and 80s which sensationally claimed back-to-back World Cup titles.

Legendary names such as Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd, Michael Holding and Malcolm Marshall wrote their name into cricket folklore with their exploits in the 1975 and 1979 editions.

Such was their impact on the game – they were also runners-up in 1983 – the expectation on the players who have tried to follow in their footsteps has weighed heavily on their shoulders.

West Indies last qualified for the last four more than two decades ago in 1996, while their best performance in the last five tournaments has been a pair of quarter-finals in 2011 and 2015.

The potential has always been there – but for all of their individual brilliance in the intervening years since their last World Cup success, they have struggled to put it together when it mattered.

But despite coming into this World Cup without an ODI series win in the last five years, there is a school of thought that the West Indies could be the dark horses in England.

They certainly possess the batting power to blow any team out of the water, as shown by their blockbuster showing in their final warm-up game against New Zealand in Bristol.

Gayle lived up to his boom or bust billing at the top of the order with a rapid 36 off 22 balls before he holed out to Kiwi captain Kane Williamson off the bowling of Trent Boult.

And while Evin Lewis took a slightly more cultured approach en route to his half-century, he provided useful support as a swashbuckling Shai Hope teed off at the other end.

Hope smashed the New Zealand attack to all corners as he catapulted the Windies innings into the stratosphere along with valuable contributions from Darren Bravo (25) and Shimron Hetmyer (27).

He brought up his century from just 84 balls, which included nine fours and four sixes, before gifting his wicket just two deliveries later to Boult by chipping the ball to Williamson.

Yet just as one batting heavyweight exited the arena, another one entered the fray, with Holder (47) already up and running by the time Russell joined him at the crease.

Fireworks followed as the sixes only got bigger. Russell opened his account with a gigantic maximum and continued in that vein as he raced to his half-century from just 23 balls.

The highlight of his seven fours and three sixes was a monstrous maximum strike down the ground that easily scaled the fourth floor of the flats behind the Ashley Down Road end.

His show-stopping cameo was a joy to behold before it was ended by Boult, but his contribution ensured West Indies surpassed 400 as they finished with their highest ever one-day score.

While the 421 total will not count – the game did not carry official ODI status – it laid down a marker for the tournament and set New Zealand a target they never looked in danger of chasing.

If there is a question mark over this Windies side, it surrounds the lack of variation in their bowling attack, which relies heavily on the pace of Thomas, Roach and Sheldon Cottrell.

When on song, as they were against the Black Caps, they are a formidable force. But too much of a reliance on their quicks could prove to be their undoing against the very best batting line-ups.

Ultimately, only time will tell whether these players can produce a new chapter in the West Indies cricket history book. Whatever happens, though, it is certainly going to be an enjoyable ride.
 
The race to become the first ODI team to 500 has started in earnest – and Shai Hope believes West Indies have the firepower to come out on top.

A centurion in their final warm-up game against New Zealand, the in-form Hope spearheaded West Indies’ mammoth total of 421 in Bristol – their highest-ever score in the limited-overs format.

With T20 star Andre Russell, who smashed 54 off just 25 balls at the County Ground, and the likes of Chris Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer also in their ranks, Jason Holder’s side perfectly poised to go even bigger in the coming years.

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 hosts England, current record holders having blasted 481 against Australia at Trent Bridge last year, are also on the hunt for the milestone total – but Hope believes his teammates have what it takes to trouble the history books.

“It is definitely a goal we can try to achieve at some point,” he said.
“Definitely it would be great to be the first team to cross that 500 mark and I am sure we have the batting firepower to do it.”

With three tons and two half-centuries under his belt since March, Hope, 25, finds himself in fine fettle heading into this week’s curtain raiser.
Key to that sharp upturn in fortunes has been a change in mindset that has allowed the wicket-keeper batsman the flexibility to adapt to any environment in which he finds himself.

“I would say my mindset has changed slightly,” he added. “I haven’t really changed too much in terms of my preparation, how I go about things.

“But, as I said it is about adapting to the style of play, the style of cricket in these times and finding ways to score runs, finding ways to be as consistent as I can be.”

Ranked eighth in the world heading into their tournament opener against Pakistan on Friday, West Indies start as outsiders to lift the World Cup.
But in Russell, Holder’s men have one of limited-overs cricket’s true match-winners – something that is not lost on his teammate.

“He (Russell) is just incredible - a freak of nature really,” Hope said. “I don’t really know what to say about Russ, he just hits it and once he hits it, it goes for six.

“He is a pleasure to be on the same team as him, I can tell you that.
“If you are on the field you are not sure what you are going to bowl at him. It is just nice to enjoy from the inside!”
 
Windies must follow Gayle example says Brathwaite

Emulating Chris Gayle is an unenviable task for any cricketer – but that is exactly what West Indies’ stars must do if they are to lift the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, according to Carlos Brathwaite.

Ranked eighth in the world heading into this summer’s showpiece event, Jason Holder’s promising side sent out a statement of intent in beating 2015 finalists New Zealand by 91 runs in their final warm-up game in Bristol on Tuesday.

Put into bat first on a near-perfect batting track, stalwart Chris Gayle plundered 36 from just 22 balls to lay the perfect platform, with Shai Hope then adding a century as part of a mammoth total of 421 – their biggest ever in a one-day game, albeit not an official ODI.

An icon both globally and in his own dressing room, the prolific Gayle will no doubt be integral to his side’s chances of glory.

But without a semi-final appearance since 1996, Brathwaite feels others must step up to the plate as the 1975 and 1979 winners go in search of their third World Cup trophy.

“It would be great if we could create our own legacy,” the 30-year-old said. “Obviously, Chris has done that in the Test and ODI format, and then is ‘Universe Boss’ in T20 as well.

“The young guys like Shai Hope are aspiring to reach the heights that Chris has reached.

“If we can win, we can be looked upon in the way that the team of ’75 and ’79 was looked upon, as heroes of sorts.

“Once we do the things we’re supposed to do, often we should go far enough in the tournament.

“It’s one of our better chances in the last 40 years or so to win the World Cup, so it’s time for us to show up and show off.

“On our day, in semi-finals and finals we have some guys who can win it on their own.”

With scores of 300 now commonplace in ODI cricket, much of the talk in the build-up to the competition has centred on whether Holder’s men have enough firepower in the bowling ranks to make their mark.

All-rounder Brathwaite though, who took three wickets in Bristol, believes his teammates have all bases covered when it comes to taking wickets.

He added: “I don’t think there will be much stymying the flow of runs in this competition. Everyone will be looking for 320 plus, so it’s about getting wickets.

“We’ve got two guys that bowl 90mph, a left-hander that swings it back, someone who is very skilful in (Kemar) Roachy and in Jase (Holder) he presents something different, bounce and movement, with the new ball as well, so the bowling attack is covered.

“We’ve also got two spinners, so it’s just about coming together and finding a way to attack.”
 
Kevin Pietersen expects West Indies to cause a shock at the World Cup

Kevin Pietersen has backed the West Indies to claim some big scalps with their big-hitting.

Windies captain Jason Holder said he wanted his side to fly under the radar - but, whisper it quietly, many think they are primed to cause an upset at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

They scored a record 421 runs in their final warm-up game against New Zealand with Shai Hope scored a rapid century, enable assisted by fellow big hitters Evin Lewis and Andre Russell.

And that’s not even mentioning Chris Gayle, who will retire at the end of this World Cup but has averaged three figures with the bat since making that decision.

“My semi-finalists would be India, England, Australia and the West Indies. It’ll be one of those that win,” said Pietersen, a T20 World Cup winner with England in 2010.

“Normally Pakistan are the unpredictable team, but this West Indies team is so unpredictable. The way they beat New Zealand was some, some cricket. They’ve picked Andre Russell, he’s in form.

Gayle is solidifying the top order, and they have some great youngsters. I just like this West Indies outfit. Will they win? Probably not, but that’s my top four.

“India and England are probably the favourites, the dark horses are Australia and the unpredictables are West Indies.”

South Africa legend Jacques Kallis also likes what he sees in Holder’s team, who are ranked number eighth in the world and came through qualifying to earn their place this summer.

“They are definitely going to have a say,” he said.

“Andre Russell has taken his game to a new level - he is the all-rounder I would keep an eye on in this World Cup.”
 
Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are both expected to be fit for the showdown with Australia after nursing injuries in West Indies victory over Pakistan.

Gayle scored a trademark fifty off just 33 balls as the Windies secured a seven-wicket win in their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup opener at Trent Bridge.

Three massive sixes gave took him to 40 in his career at the tournament, more than any other player, but also took its toll as he struggled with running between the wickets and hobbled towards the pavilion after his eventual dismissal.

But captain Jason Holder is confident the five-day rest between this win and the match with Australia will be enough. Russell, who turned the match with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries, taking two wickets from his 18 balls, also insists he’ll be okay despite seeming to aggravate a knee injury.

“I’ve more than enough time to get my knee back to normal and get it settled,” he said.

All which is great news for Holder, who couldn’t have been happier with the way his team started their World Cup campaign.

This is Gayle’s last international tournament but Nicholas Pooran gave a glimpse to the future with a 34 run contribution as the Windies knocked off Pakistan’s 105 runs in 13.4 overs.

Pooran faced just 19 balls for his score and unleashed six boundaries, including two massive sixes.

“It’s wonderful Chris has achieved this milestone, I’m not surprised,” he said.

“I grabbed the opportunity and enjoyed being out there with Chris, he gives everyone such confidence and I was happy to play the supporting role and get the chance to bring the match home.

“It felt really good to hit some big shots and contribute to the success, I just tried to enjoy it.

“Watching him bat, taking on shots, leaving shots, you just learn so much. I was hanging back a bit because I thought one might come in my direction.

“We love the way we expressed ourselves as a team today, that was the sort of cricket the West Indies are known for with both the bat and the ball. That was fearless cricket.”
 
Clive Lloyd: I expected the West Indies to perform well and I’m proud to seed them deliver

I thought the West Indies were quite clinical against Pakistan. They used the pitch to their advantage in the sense that it had a bit of life and they put pressure on Pakistan.

They didn’t handle it too well and overall it was a very good first game for the West Indies. They now have to keep things going and should be looking now to try and qualify.

Once they do that any team can win it, but it was a very good effort first up and I was proud to see them really perform - not that I didn’t expect them to do well.

I think Pakistan have previously given us problems so it was a very admirably performance and I can only wish Jason Holder and the rest of the boys well for the rest of the tournament.

I’m sure they will upset a few of the big boys if they play like that. This game has proven that we have some firepower and that means we can match anybody in this competition.

We have to try and test out our batting now, that’s the real test going forward. We have to see how they do when they have to bat first and try and post a good total.

I want to see how we get on if we have to defend a total, but it’s shaping up really well at the moment and they couldn’t have asked for a better start to the tournament.

Admittedly, Pakistan were not at their best but I think that was more to with the West Indies pressure as that was a good tactic. Holder bowled them in short spells and managed them well.

Oshane Thomas got four wickets and he was quite aggressive. I think the pressure he brought to bear paid off and he looked very good even though he didn’t have the new ball.

We just need to see what happens when the pressure is on the West Indies, but the game against Australia should do that as that will be a good test of where we are at.

Australia have got some firepower and some very good batsmen, so that should be an excellent game. That will give you an idea if West Indies can qualify or not.

It’s going to be a good test and I also want to see the game against England, that too is going to be quite the contest. England have some real firepower and variety too.

The next week or so is going to be very exciting for this competition. From what I’ve seen so far, though, I think the West Indies do possess enough to qualify for the last four.

This result will give them a lot of confidence and I’m sure that is their aim to do well against the top boys and the teams above them in the rankings.

I am positive that they can qualify and if they do, they can go all the way really. It’s not just the bowling, we have good batters too and we can bat pretty deep.

We showed that against Pakistan as it was a good effort all around. It was good to see the batters knock off the runs, so they will be feeling very good going into a big game against Australia.
 
5 June - Nottingham - West Indies Captain Jason Holder pre-match press conference


Q. Have you got an update on the fitness of some of your players, Andre and Chris? They had a few problems at the end of the match against Pakistan. Can you update us on how they are and what they've been doing over the past few days?
JASON HOLDER: Yeah, we've had a few days off. Yeah, they have been recovering quite nicely. We expect both of them to hopefully be fit and ready to go tomorrow. We've still got some more time until the game tomorrow morning, so then we'll make a final decision in the morning.

Q. Of all your rivalries, where do you put this rivalry between West Indies and Australia in your time, and is this the most "edge" you've seen between the two teams, especially in one-day cricket, since the time you started playing?
JASON HOLDER: It's always been a great rivalry between West Indies and Australia. I think everybody is expecting a really good contest. We're up for the challenge. I think they're up for the challenge, as well. Yeah, I wouldn't really get too deep into rivalries, but we expect a really good contest from the Australians.

Q. A lot of people are riding the West Indies' chances of doing something in this tournament. How big is this game, this opportunity to, I guess, instil some belief amongst yourselves that you can go on and do something against a big team like Australia?
JASON HOLDER: Yeah, we're just taking it game by game. Tomorrow is our country versus Australia. We've got a hurdle to overcome. I think when we overcome that hurdle, then we'll move deeper into the tournament. But I just don't want to single out teams particularly. I think all teams are evenly matched and well-balanced, so it's just a matter of playing good cricket on any given day. That's our rule. We want to execute in all three departments.

Q. Does Pakistan's display against England suggest that your win over them is actually better than many people gave credit for?
JASON HOLDER: Well, I don't think so. As I said, it's a wide-open tournament. All 10 teams are capable of lifting the World Cup. That's why we're here, they're the 10 best teams in the world. So I wouldn't get into the games that have been played. I just want to keep moving forward. We've played Pakistan already and that's a hurdle that we've overcome. We've got Australia tomorrow, and that's our next hurdle, and that's what I want to focus on.

Q. Standing out at square leg it gives you an impression of just how small this ground is. Do you think you can do some real damage if you get to bat first and let your hitters have their way?
JASON HOLDER: Yeah, when we bat we just want to execute our batting plans. We've all seen the way the world cricket has gone the last couple months -- well, last two years per se. And there have been some high totals and there have been some aggressive stroke play. We just want to be as positive as we possibly can be. I think whether we bat first or if we chase, we've got to show intent. Intent is something that we spoke about in the dressing room, and it's something that we want to go about our goal with when we go into our innings. Yeah, I don't want to get too caught up with the conditions, but at the end of the day I just want the guys to show intent and be fearless.

Q. In that one particularly short boundary, what challenge does that present to you in defending it? And what advantages does it give you when you've actually got a bat in hand with your big hitters?
JASON HOLDER: You know, I made a remark to one or two of the guys, I felt like the ground was a little bigger than people think. There's obviously a massive wind factor, as well, which tends to play on your mind, and obviously you have to account for it into your plans.

Yeah, we've played on a number of grounds with this short side, and this is something you've just got to cope with. I always back the guys to go with their strengths first, no matter the dimensions of the ground. I think we've just got to hone in on our skills. The ground will be one way for both teams; that's one thing guaranteed. That's just our plan.

Q. Does the fact you played here a week ago give you some kind of slight advantage or I guess knowledge going into tomorrow's game?
JASON HOLDER: Yeah, we obviously had one game here before. We bowled 22 overs in the game. We didn't get a full allotment. But having said that, we've got a little bit of knowledge about the ground, how the wicket plays. But having said that, there are quite a few strips on this square. I'm not sure which one we're on tomorrow. I just think it's a situation whether we bat or bowl first, we need to assess the conditions as early as possible and then play to suit.

Q. You don't get to play Australia much over the next three years under the new Future Tours program. Is that disappointing, and perhaps a sign the rivalry between Australia and West Indies isn't as great as what it was in the '80s and '90s?
JASON HOLDER: I'm not sure. One thing I'm sure of is that's beyond my control. I don't plan the cricket, I just play it.

At the end of the day, as I said, tomorrow is a game against Australia, and that's who we're focused on. I'm not caught up with rivalry, I'm not caught up with the past per se. It's a matter for us to go into tomorrow's game looking to execute our plans and beat Australia.

Q. You used the short ball very well against Pakistan. How big of a tactic will it be against Australia?
JASON HOLDER: I guess it all boils down to the conditions. One thing I said in the last press conference is that we tend to formulate our plans to each batter. If it's a situation where we feel a batsman may be susceptible to the short ball, then we're going to use it. If it's a situation where that's not the case, then we'll find other alternatives. It's just not stuck on the short ball. I think all the teams so far have used the short ball, and it's just something that's in the game. You've got two short balls per over; you might as well use them.

Q. Just following up on Chris Gayle and Andre Russell's fitness, do they need to kind of get through training today to be able to play tomorrow, and if they were out, would that be a bit of a disruption?
JASON HOLDER: I think the beauty with both of those guys is they've played enough cricket. We just tend to trust them, take their word and then make a final determination then. Chris was at practice for the last couple days, so Chris for me is all well and ready to go. Andre will be obviously assessed today, and we're very, very hopeful that he'll be fit tomorrow.

ICC Media
 
Jason Holder focused on the present and not West Indies rivalry with Australia

The latest chapter in one of cricket’s greatest rivalries is about to be written but West Indies captain Jason Holder is not fussed about the tales that have come before.

Trent Bridge will play host as Holder’s side and Australia renew a battle that goes right to the start of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history, with this game a repeat of the first final in 1975.

West Indies came out on top then but it’s their counterparts who have boasted the record since, with no side winning close to the five titles they have in their collection.

Yet when it comes to Thursday’s titanic tussle, what’s written in the history books is firmly in the past for Holder.

Instead the focus is on maintaining the form that inspired victory over Pakistan last Friday, with a tough test in store against an Australia side also on a high from victory over Afghanistan.

“It's always been a great rivalry between West Indies and Australia. I think everybody is expecting a really good contest,” he said.

“We're up for the challenge. I think they're up for the challenge, as well.

“I wouldn't really get too deep into rivalries, but we expect a really good contest from the Australians.

“I'm not caught up with rivalry, I'm not caught up with the past per se. It's a matter for us to go into the game looking to execute our plans and beat Australia.

“We've all seen the way the world cricket has gone the last two years. There have been some high totals and there has been some aggressive stroke play.

“We just want to be as positive as we possibly can be.”

Short bowling has been the order of the day so far in England with Holder’s charges unleashing their skill to devastating effect, bowling Pakistan out for 105 last time out.

The tactic will likely come to the fore once again but at a Trent Bridge ground famed for run-scoring, the challenge is on for the West Indies to repeat the trick.

Firepower with the bat is far from lacking either and while Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are likely to be passed fit to target the short boundaries, Holder believes the dimensions are not as easy as they seem.

“The beauty with both of those guys [Gayle and Russell] is they've played enough cricket. We just tend to trust them, take their word and then make a final determination on the team then,” added the captain.

“Chris was at practice for the last couple days, so he is all well and ready to go for me. Andre will be assessed in training, and we're very, very hopeful that he'll be fit.

“I made a remark to one or two of the guys, I felt like the ground was a little bigger than people think.

“I always back the guys to go with their strengths first, no matter the dimensions of the ground. I think we've just got to hone in on our skills.

“The ground will be one way for both teams; that's one thing guaranteed. That's just our plan.”
 
West Indies defeat ‘a tough pill to swallow’ for Shai Hope

West Indies wicket-keeper Shai Hope admits the manner of defeat to Australia was tough to take as his side let a promising start slip away at Trent Bridge.

The defending ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup champions recovered from 79/5 to post 288 all out thanks to Nathan Coulter-Nile’s heroics and a valuable anchoring role from Steve Smith.

That, combined with left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc (5/46) being back to his devastating best, was sufficient to ensure a 15-run victory for Australia – despite Hope’s composed knock of 68.

"This is going to be a tough pill to swallow having basically been dominating the game for the majority of it and then not being able to cross the line," Hope said.

"Regardless of what happens we have to play cricket on the day. We always play the best we possibly can and the better team will win on the day."

It was ultimately scant consolation but both keeper Hope and outfielder Sheldon Cottrell grasped stunning catches during the game.

Hope delighted the crowd when he flew to his left to scoop up a one-handed grab that removed Usman Khawaja for 13 off the bowling of Andre Russell.

But the 25-year-old admits he was bettered by Cottrell’s effort to finally dismiss Smith – as he caught the ball one-handed while tip-toeing along the boundary rope, then flicked the ball back in the air as he crossed the rope before stepping back on to the field complete the catch.

"Easily [the better catch], that was an amazing effort,” added Hope. “At first I wasn't sure if he had it but then I realised it was a proper catch.

"For mine, it was just one of those things. I just had to go – I didn't really have much time to think. Andre bowled a pretty decent delivery and I just saw the white thing and tried to catch it."

Once again, West Indies’ seam quartet of Russell, Cottrell, Carlos Brathwaite and Oshane Thomas caused havoc with aggressive, short-pitched bowling with the new ball before Australia recovered.

And Hope insists the team will persevere with the tactic.

"Most definitely, as long as you get wickets with the new ball you always put teams under pressure,” he said.

“It was just unfortunate we couldn't drive home and get the tail in a bit earlier. But that's how cricket plays and we know Australia are a quality side. They've shown us that they can build."
 
Jason Holder eager for West Indies to learn batting lessons from Steve Smith

Steve Smith’s approach to batting is a lesson West Indies can learn from according to captain Jason Holder after watching his side fall agonisingly short in their chase at Trent Bridge.

Holder’s side came within 15 runs of reaching the 289-run target set by Australia and were ahead large parts of their chase, having reached 190/4 within 35 overs.

But Mitchell Starc had other ideas, becoming the main instigator and finishing with a five-wicket haul as West Indies struggled for late runs, with the top order getting out at regular intervals having made threatening partnerships.

That was in contrast to Australia’s Smith who countered his side’s own batting difficulties with an anchoring role, occupying the crease for close to three hours in scoring 73 from 103 balls.

That, coupled with Nathan Coulter-Nile’s power hitting in a 60-ball knock of 92, proved the difference in Nottingham, with Holder hopeful his premier batsmen can take stock for the rest of their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign.

“We definitely missed an opportunity in that game, we can learn from it, but we’re disappointed to have lost from that point,” said the captain.

“Partnerships are a big part of cricket and we saw Steve [Smith] do that alongside Alex Carey and then Nathan Coulter-Nile. They played positively, we put Coulter-Nile down on 60-odd and that proved costly.

“Guys need to learn from their mistakes and take on the responsibility, especially in a chase. One of the top four needs to be there at the end and we saw Steve Smith do that.

“Steve batted quite deep and needed to, Shai Hope has been outstanding in doing that for us but it didn’t go his way this time.

“But you have to give credit to Australia, they played very well.”

As they did against Pakistan on the same ground in their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup opener, West Indies’ fast bowlers profited early with Sheldon Cottrell taking two wickets to help reduce Australia to 38/4.

This time, however, their opponents found form with the bat as partnerships developed, Smith and Coulter-Nile taking Aaron Finch’s side to 288 before being bowled out.

It looked like being a reachable total before Starc took over with 5/46, including three wickets in his last two overs.

Indeed the entire bowling unit kept it tight – Coulter-Nile the only man with an economy rate beyond six-per-over – a fact that earned plenty of praise from Holder.

“Starc bowled very well, you know what you are going to get with him, he bowls quite full and had a really good spell at the end,” he added. “Credit must be given to him, he had a really good day.

“As a team they came back with the old ball and bowled really well, they created problems for us and we had to decide whether to play the shots or knock the ball around.

“They asked questions of us and that’s what you have to give them credit for, we weren’t quite able to get over the line at the end.”
 
West Indies pushed Australia to the end but ultimately team selection cost them. Instead of trying to deepen the batting lineup, WI would be better off strengthening their attack.

Ashley Nurse has batted at 8 before, so dropping Brathwaite and promoting Nurse allows you to pick one of Gabriel or Roach.
 
Despite all the howlers against them, WI could have still won yesterday's game. Their impatience cost them a lot. Starc was good but WI bats made him a bigger hero than he deserved to be. The over when Holder and Braithwaite had their respective brain freezes, was the difference between victory and defeat for WI.
 
Carlos Brathwaite keen for West Indies to transfer promising spells into wins

The time for sending messages is over for Carlos Brathwaite after his West Indies side fell agonisingly short of downing defending champions Australia at Trent Bridge.

Brathwaite and his fellow pace bowlers again enjoyed success with the new ball and reduced Australia to 38/4 early on.

But Steve Smith (73) and Nathan Coulter-Nile (92) half-centuries saw Australia recover to post 288, with West Indies unable to replicate the performance that saw them bowl Pakistan out for 105 in their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup opener.

The target eventually proved too much with Brathwaite and the middle-late order unable to score the required 68 from the last ten overs as Australia prevailed by 15 runs.

And while he and the pace attack impressed for a second successive match, the 30-year-old knows that positivity must be converted into victories if West Indies want to profit from the tournament.

“We don’t want to send messages out to other teams, we want to win games. We scored 421 against New Zealand in the warm-up and then bowled Pakistan out for 105 and people have said we’ve sent messages,” he said.

“But this time we lost and it’s not about sending messages, it’s about winning games. We fought hard and Australia played very well, we felt we could chase it down but weren’t able to do that.

“We didn’t adjust as quickly as we would have liked but kudos to the Australian batters who played well.

“There are fine margins, on another day we could have had Coulter-Nile out early on and had them out for 150 or 160, we bowled well and they dealt with it well.”

Mitchell Starc’s five wickets helped blow the chase wide open with West Indies eventually finishing on 273/9 from their 50 overs in Nottingham.

But Australia having a total to defend owed plenty to Smith and Coulter-Nile, the former playing an anchor role to occupy the crease for nearly three hours.

That allowed Coulter-Nile to smash his way to 92 from 60 balls and the record score by a No.8 in World Cup cricket, as well as his maiden half-century in the ODI format.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t get the last few as quickly or as cheap this time, but you have to give credit to the opposition sometimes,” added Brathwaite.

“Take nothing away from my fellow pacers, they bowled their heart and soul out – but it’s a case of saying well done to the Aussies.

“We wanted to maintain our controlled aggression, put the balls in the right areas and we did that with them taking time to get in.

“Alex Carey then counter-attacked as the ball got a bit older and Smith played very well in the anchor role, Coulter-Nile played a brilliant knock as well, so credit where it is due.”
 
Clive Lloyd: West Indies must capitalise on their opportunities against a dangerous South Africa side

I think the West Indies should have sewn the game up, but they did not bowl very well towards the end of Australia’s innings after being in the ascendancy earlier on.

West Indies had Australia in a similar position to when they played Pakistan a few days ago and expected them to capitulate like the Pakistan side did, but the Australians have won five World Cups therefore it’s obvious that they have the ability to recover and they would have encountered such situation before.

The bowling towards Nathan Coulter-Nile was very untidy. His highest score before the game was 34 and I wonder if the West Indies knew where to bowl to him and how to plan his demise.

When Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran were at the crease West Indies were winning the game, while Shimron Hetmyer and Hope were batting with ease against Australia's spin and pace.

The West Indies looked to be in a good position to finish the game off, but Mitchell Starc bowled well and in the end the West Indies were not able to hold their nerve and get over the line.

The West Indies Team must to start to play smart cricket because they have two real big games coming up against South Africa and England, therefore they have to be on top of their game as I'm sure they'd want to qualify.

The West Indies Team should have players who are able to win games, especially when the pitch was quite placid and devoid of bounce and movement during that stage of the game. The West Indies team missed the chance to ascend the ladder and accomplish the task as leaders of the competition.

I think on another day, with a better analysis of the situation they could have won that game and this would have given them the impetus to realise that they were serious contenders to qualify for the latter stages of this competition.

There is also no reason why they should be almost bowled out on a pitch like that at Trent Bridge, but they tried to hit the aerial shots and started throwing wickets away.

The players have to realise that this is not Twenty20. The batsmen need to turn those scores of 30 and 40 into bigger scores and they must be aware that all these teams have world class bowlers at their disposal. I was very impressed with their fielding and the catching was very good. Sheldon Cottrell’s catch, in particular, was outstanding and has to be up there in the Top 10 with the Ben Stokes catch.

I think they sealed their fate by giving away too many runs at the end. The most that they should have given Australia is 250, but Steve Smith and Coulter-Nile’s partnership changed the game.

West Indies have to get back to winning games now and they need to try and be more consistent. I just think the bowlers relaxed against Australia and got a bit complacent.

They gifted 27 runs in extras, which is way too many. West Indies could have won the game if it wasn’t for those extras and that’s something I worked on with my players when I was captain.

South Africa are up next and while they haven't performed to their ability, Windies have to be aware of the job at hand as South Africa is in danger of missing out on the top four if they lose.

West Indies have to get all the disciplines right on the day and play clever cricket because for the most part of the day they did well, but they simply did not capitalise on the early dismissals.

They now have to re-group, look at the mistakes they made and rectify them so that they can return to their winning ways. I’m still feeling positive about the West Indies overall.
 
Windies fast bowlers want to create their own legacy

West Indies brought not one, not two but seven seam bowlers to this ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, adding pace and bounce to a tournament that was billed as one for big runs.

Though totals are starting to creep upwards of 350, fast bowlers have found there is something for them too and the West Indian pack have been particularly effective in exploiting conditions. Naturally, that has stirred memory banks and talk of their past greats has started doing the rounds. But this is a new team, with their own ambitions who are seeking to create a fresh legacy.

“We can’t keep looking back. We’ve got to respect the past but this group of bowlers know they’ve got to find their own identity,” said assistant coach Roddy Estwick ahead of their match against South Africa.

So far, the West Indies bowlers have done just that. They made a statement in bowling Pakistan out for 105 and then dismissed Australia for 288, and Estwick hopes they are only just getting started. “Everybody was saying teams were going to make 360 or 380 at this tournament. We bowled both teams out for under 300 so we are very happy with the way the bowlers have executed,” he said.

Apart from speed, West Indies have also used the short ball well and are starting to develop their own signature style of play.

“We are playing our way, we are playing the way that works for us. That’s aggressive cricket with a smile on our face,” Estwick added.

Ultimately, West Indies only want their fear factor to exist on the field. Off it, they aim to adopt a style that is fun and inspiring to their many supporters at home and in the United Kingdom.

He said: “This is big for the Caribbean people. One thing we have been stressing is to go out and put a smile on people’s face in the Caribbean.

“Obviously, economically we are struggling a little bit so we want people to wake up in the morning at 5am or 6am with a smile on their faces, seeing West Indians playing good cricket.

“And also we want to help the people of London as well, who have had so much pressure cricket-wise in the last 10 or 15 year. We want to put a smile on all black peoples’ faces.”

All that contrasts strongly with their next opposition, South Africa, who are struggling through an injury crisis and have yet to win a game. Estwick believes the absence of Dale Steyn and the possibility of being without the hamstrung Lungi Ngidi only allows for someone else to make a name for themselves at this tournament.

“We have to respect South Africa and we know that they have got world-class players. Kagiso Rabada is the No.1 bowler over the last few years and as the great Bob Marley said, ‘When one door is closed, another is opened.’ People get opportunity in strange ways. When you get the opportunity you’ve got to grab it,” Estwick added.

“We’ve got to respect them but we mustn’t fear them.”
 
Floyd Reifer has promised that the West Indies will fight fire with fire when they front up to England’s Jofra Archer on Friday.

Archer has been in devastating form at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 and bowled the quickest ever ODI spell by an England player against Bangladesh since records began 13 years ago – averaging 90.6mph.

Adding spice to his encounter with a fiery West Indies side, Archer was born in Barbados and played age-group cricket for the two-time world champions before switching his allegiance to England.

And Windies head coach Reifer insists his batsmen – led by the titanic Chris Gayle – will not shy away from Archer's 90mph thunderbolts and attack him from the off in one of the most highly-anticipated matches of the tournament.

“It will be entertaining, we are all here to entertain. I am sure Jofra will be chomping at the bit to come at us but we will be ready for him,” he said.

“We have known Jofra for a long time, he is from Barbados. We knew him from under-15, under-17 and under-19 so he is not new to us.

“He is bowling quickly but that is nothing we are not accustomed to. We are looking forward to the challenge.

“I actually played club cricket against him as a young guy. Jofra is a tremendous talent, we all know that.”

Before Reifer can start planning for Archer, he must hope the rain which washed out the West Indies’ contest with South Africa moves away from the Hampshire Bowl.

Only 7.3 overs were played in Southampton, with the West Indies restricting South Africa to 29-2 thanks to a pair of Sheldon Cottrell wickets before the rain set in.

That leaves the Windies on three points, with a resounding win against Pakistan in their first match followed by a 15-run loss to Australia last week.

With only four knock-out spots available, a no result increases the pressure and Reifer admits the margin for error has narrowed.

“It is unfortunate. It was a good opportunity to play them,” added Reifer.

“We have been playing great cricket, it does not matter who we play right now. We are out to play an exciting brand of cricket, just like we had done in the first couple of games.

“Against Australia, it is a chase we should have won but we made key mistakes. That happens. Next time we are in that position, we will make better decisions.”
 
Few things in sport are as exciting as watching a 90mph bowler and Corey Collymore insists his four West Indian speedsters can overwhelm England’s two on Friday.

The Caribbean side have long been renowned for producing destructive quicks – think Michael Holding, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh – but the well began to noticeably dry following the turn of the century.

However, in Oshane Thomas, Shannon Gabriel, Sheldon Cottrell and the recalled Andre Russell, they have four paceman all capable of topping the magical 90mph barrier.

England boast two of their own in Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, making Friday’s contest in Southampton one of the most eagerly-anticipated games of the tournament.

“We have quick bowlers too so it should be a lively game,” said bowling coach Collymore – who also used to bowl around the 90mph mark in his early career.

“We have shown what we can do with our fast bowlers, we are good enough to take wickets with the new ball and then go from there.

“I don’t think many people like the short stuff, whether it is England or the West Indies. If you find a batsman that has a weakness to it, then you go after that.

“The West Indies have always produced fast bowlers. The two nations that has always had talented fast bowlers for me are the West Indies and Pakistan.

“From years gone by, that was something we prided ourselves on and now you see we have some more coming through.”

All eyes will be on Archer as he prepares to face the West Indies for the first time. The 24-year-old bowled the fastest spell ever seen by an Englishman in ODI cricket against Bangladesh last week and he has six wickets in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup so far.

However, when he opens at the Hampshire Bowl he will be confronted by the unique challenge of taking on Chris Gayle.

While Archer has intimidated batsman in his young international career, 39-year-old Gayle has a strong recent record against England – belting 39 sixes against them in the five-match ODI series earlier this year – and Collymore does not expect him to be so nervy.

“Chris thrives on that. I have known him since he was 16 and he has always loved a challenge. He has always enjoyed the challenge of fast bowling so I expect him to relish that,” he added.

“I have known Archer for a while and I saw Wood in the Caribbean last year. They are both very impressive, as we have seen throughout this tournament.

“I did work with him [Archer] when he was a lot younger in Barbados. He was very impressive, the skills he shows now are ones we always had so are expecting more of the same from him.”
 
West Indies’ electric bowling attack has caught the eye at this World Cup but Jason Holder insists it's their brains – instead of their brawn – that allows them to flourish.

The Caribbean side have already shown what they are capable of in this tournament, bowling Pakistan out for just 105 thanks to a barrage of fast deliveries en route to a seven-wicket win in their opening game.

On Friday they face England and they are the only team at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup not to lose their previous ODI series to the hosts, drawing 2-2 on home soil earlier this year.

With pace in abundance from the likes of Oshane Thomas, Andre Russell and Sheldon Cottrell, the West Indies’ bowlers have the capacity to worry every team.

And Holder believes it is their ability to outfox batsman outside of the powerplays which has sparked an upturn in form since the last ICC Men's Cricket World Cup – a four-year period in which they did not win an ODI series.

“We've been getting wickets. I think previously we haven't been getting wickets in the middle,” he said.

“We have always got wickets with the new ball. But previously we haven't been able to get wickets in the middle overs.

“And it's been the talking point over the last couple of months in one-day cricket and now in this tournament we have been able to get wickets in the middle overs which has definitely broken the back of most teams.

“I think if we continue in that vain, we will be a force to be reckoned with but we have to take it game by game.

“This game against England, as I said before, is a very, very important game and we have just got to dot all of our Is and cross the Ts.”

With Monday’s match against South Africa washed out, this match has taken on an even greater importance for the West Indies.

They have won one of their first three, with a narrow defeat to Australia sandwiched between the Pakistan win and South Africa no result.

But Holder is not worried yet and, with all-rounder Andre Russell likely to be fit following a knee injury, he expects his side to chuck all they have at the hosts.

“I think the brand of cricket we have been playing so far in this World Cup, you know what to expect of West Indies now,” he added.

“For us, we are not going to back down from the challenge. Most of our guys are always up for the challenge and it is just a matter for us to be smart.

“And I don't think there is anything else to be said, just be smart and play the brand of cricket we want to play.”
 
13 June - Southampton - West Indies Captain Jason Holder pre-match press conference

Q. Welcome to Southampton. This is the sunny bit of England by the way. This is the sunny south coast. I wanted to ask you first of all, how frustrating is this ongoing weather situation? And what is the fitness situation in terms of your team? Anything to report on those issues?

JASON HOLDER: Well, it is a little disappointing obviously not being able to play. Today was our last day to practice and as you can see with the weather we are not able to get outside. Again, it is beyond our control. With regards to injuries, we make our final determination tomorrow morning, just giving everybody the best chance to just recover well and be eligible for selection.

Q. I wonder to myself, will some of your players be especially keen to be hitting boundaries against Jofra Archer?

JASON HOLDER: (Smiling) It's an interesting question. Yeah, I'm sure he'll be there. It's something that has been talked up in the press, in the media, and we are looking forward to the challenge against England. I don't want to limit it to Jofra, but we are looking forward to this game against England.

Q. Can you give us an update on Andre Russell and his knee?

JASON HOLDER: Yes, he's progressed nicely over the last couple of days. He is just one of those guys where we give him as much time as he possibly needs, so it all boils down to how he wakes up tomorrow morning and feels.

Q. You talked about using him in short spells. Against Australia he bowled a five-over spell before he went off hobbling. Was that just a bit too long that spell?

JASON HOLDER: Probably (laughter). With hindsight, probably, it's probably a bit too long. Yeah, he was going well in that game. I kept asking him how he felt. He said, "One more, skip, one more, skip," so it is hard to deny him.

Q. We have just heard that Mark Wood is an injury doubt for tomorrow, he's got an issue with his ankle. He had a fantastic time against you over the winter. Is it good news if Mark Wood doesn't play?

JASON HOLDER: Well, you are giving me the news yourself. I'm not familiar, I wasn't aware that Mark was injured. But yeah, again, we are looking to play against England. It doesn't matter who England puts on the park. We have just got a role to play, we've got to beat England. It doesn't matter who we are playing against.

Q. Looking back on that series that we played over the winter. Chris Gayle had a phenomenal time out against England enjoyed batting against them. Is he looking forward to having another day out against them?

JASON HOLDER: We all are (laughter). We all definitely are. I'm sure Sheldon is looking to salute as well. We are looking forward to this situation. It's a very important game for us. Every game in this World Cup is very important, but having a washed-out game in the last encounter against South Africa, we are just looking forward to getting on the park and hopefully the weather stays away and we can get a good game.

Q. Will Sheldon have a nice, special salute for Trevor Bayliss?

JASON HOLDER: (Laughter) I don't think it will change, that's just Sheldon. I guess Trevor will just have learn to accept it (smiling).

Q. What have you made of what you have seen of Jofra Archer?

JASON HOLDER: I have seen Jofra over the years. He is obviously a Barbadian. He's grown up in Barbados playing cricket so what you see -- what I'm seeing of Jofra doesn't surprise me. He is one of those guys who has always had ability and talent. It is just unfortunate how things went in terms of his decision-making but he is a good talent.

Q. Would he make it into your team?

JASON HOLDER: He's English, so no (smiling).

Q. When you see Jofra tearing in to bowl in an England shirt, do you feel proud that he's performing that way on the international stage, or do you feel frustration?

JASON HOLDER: (Smiling) As I said before, he's English. It is something I can't control. So I'm not going to worry about it. I'm not going to get flustered over it. Our role in this World Cup is to play against England in this game tomorrow and our role is to beat England. I'm not going to get here and just narrow it down to Jofra, Chris Gayle or whoever else. West Indies is playing England tomorrow. West Indies would like to beat England tomorrow.

Q. It will obviously be a talking point because as you say you have grown up playing with him and against him now. But do you have any concerns about other players that might take the same route that he's taken?

JASON HOLDER: I don't think this is the forum now to be discussing it. As I said before, I want to keep it strictly towards the game tomorrow, West Indies versus England. And I think we want to cover all three departments in terms of batting, bowling and fielding.

We have gone really well with the ball so far, in taking new-ball wickets and bowling two teams out in the games we have played.

I think in terms of our fielding, we could definitely touch up there, but I think generally over the last couple of months, if you look at our fielding overall, we have improved a lot in this World Cup so far.

And as a batting unit, we just had a plan against Australia so if we get ourselves back into that situation, we just need to take a little bit more responsibility and take the game home.

Having said that, I wouldn't sit here now and discuss anything else as opposed to the game.

Q. What did you learn from playing against England in the winter? A 2-2 series draw, so you had the measure of them in a couple of games with you. Did you learn anything from maybe in terms of rotating strike for example? You have got the power hitters, but are there any things you can improve on to make sure you get the edge in this World Cup game?

JASON HOLDER: I think there's always room for improvement. As I said before, we can always take responsibility as batters to see games through, bat very deeply.

As I said before, we've always asked the top four batsmen to go down to the 45th over and give ourselves a chance and other guys support them.

And having said that, I think we have done a lot of great things over the last couple of weeks as well. As I said before, our bowling has been really good. You have seen young Oshane Thomas come alight, Sheldon, and practically all our bowlers have been putting up their hands and doing a fantastic job.

It is just for them to continue that, stay fit and healthy, and then for our batters to keep going. I just think it's the situation over a long period of time with this tournament, you have to keep your form going and you have to keep hungry for success and keep churning out runs, that is all I can ask for.

Q. Your team is massive. There is a lot of big guys in that team. Is that something that you use? Do you feel you can use that to your advantage in games? Not necessarily against England tomorrow. But generally, does that give you an advantage because you have that physical presence on the field?

JASON HOLDER: You mean a physical fight? (Laughter).

Q. Just in terms of getting in the opposition's faces and having that presence?

JASON HOLDER: I think the brand of cricket we have been playing so far in this World Cup, you know what to expect of West Indies now. For us, we are not going to back down from the challenge. Most of our guys are always up for the challenge and it is just a matter for us to be smart. And I don't think there is anything else to be said, just be smart and play the brand of cricket we want to play.

Q. You didn't win that many one-dayers between the World Cups and obviously you played really well against England and a lot of people were talking about you coming into this tournament. What's gone right over the last few months that maybe wasn't going right for you guys before then?

JASON HOLDER: We've been getting wickets. I think previously we haven't been getting wickets in the middle. We have always got wickets with the new ball. But previously we haven't been able to get wickets in the middle overs. And it's been talking point over the last couple of months in one-day cricket and now in this tournament we have been able to get wickets in the middle overs which has definitely broken the back of most teams.

I think if we continue in that vain, we will be a force to be reckoned with but we have to take it game by game. This game against England, as I said before, is a very, very important game and we have just got to dot all of our Is and cross the Ts.

Q. Does that mean specifically trying to attack more in those middle overs than you did over the last couple of years?

JASON HOLDER: I think all the teams have. I think we have now got the luxury of having some quick bowlers, some very, very aggressive bowlers as well. So you can tend to give up a few runs looking for wickets and I just think as a nation, you've got to get wickets. If you don't get wickets, you can be chasing a lot of runs.
 
West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has received an official reprimand and received 1 demerit point for breaching Level One of the ICC Code of Conduct during the England v West Indies game at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup at the Hampshire Bowl on Friday.

He was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to showing dissent to an umpire’s decision.

The incident occurred in the 43rd over of the West Indies innings when Brathwaite made his displeasure at being given out clear to the umpires.

Brathwaite admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees and, as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Sundaram Ravi and Kumar Dharmasena, third umpire Rodney Tucker and fourth official Paul Wilson levelled the charges.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

ICC Media Release
 
Nicholas Pooran is keen to shed his T20 specialist tag, insisting his mature knock against England proves he can become West Indies’ man for all formats.

The 23-year-old has played in 102 T20 matches in his career, compared with just three first-class games with Trinidad and Tobago – the last of which came in December 2014.

He only made his international ODI debut in February against England and was picked for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 after a single 50-over appearance for his country.

But on a tricky Southampton pitch, he made a composed 63 against the hosts, putting on 89 for the fourth wicket with Shimron Hetmyer to help steer West Indies away from a perilous 55-3.

Both eventually fell cheaply and West Indies subsequently collapsed to 212 all out en route to an eight-wicket defeat.

But Pooran’s innings was nonetheless impressive and the Trinidad left-hander believes he can thrive at ODI and, ultimately, Test level.

“My job is to play cricket, it does not matter which format. I’m not rushing anything, I’m just trying to get better and better each day. I back myself to do that," he said.

“My dream was always to play cricket professionally and represent the West Indies at a World Cup someday. It feels wonderful.

“I just learned a lot from T20 cricket and now my chance is to play ODI cricket. It’s different, you have to bat longer and so it is up to me now to adjust.

“I want to get better and better and not make the same mistakes over and over again. You can’t judge T20 cricket and every game brings a different situation."

West Indies need Pooran to deliver more runs if they are to stand a chance of reaching the semi-finals.

Their defeat to England leaves them with just one win from four matches and sixth in the group standings ahead of Monday’s game with an equally under pressure Bangladesh.

“We will come out hard and we need a victory,” he added.

“We made simple mistakes [against England] but we need to stick to our game plan. We lost some wickets cheaply but I don’t think we have given our hand away yet.

“They were soft dismissals. In every game, we have dominated periods but we now just need to dominate for a lot longer.

“We need to improve in the middle and dominate the big periods for us.”
 
The West Indies were a disgrace yesterday - gifted half their wickets away and then pretty much gave up trying to defend the total early on in England's innings. Their attitude was summed up by Chris Gayle's antics when he was bowling.

Any team who behaves like that doesn't deserve to go through to the semi finals of a WC.
 
Clive Lloyd: West Indies still have the firepower to win this World Cup but can’t afford more bad days

If the West Indies want to win this World Cup then now is the time for them to come out fighting and show what they are made of.

Defeats and bad days are always going to happen in a tournament like this, and now we just have to hope that the West Indies have got all of theirs out of the way.

I still think they have got the firepower in both their batting and bowling to go all the way but the pressure is building.

They need to win nearly every group game from here on in if they are to have a chance of making the semi-finals.

Eleven points will probably be enough to get a Team into the top four, and considering they still have the likes of New Zealand and India to play, it is now or never.

The defeat to England will have disappointed them because that was a huge game.

They picked a bad time to have their worst batting display of the tournament so far.

Once you have got past the best of the England bowling attack, you really shouldn’t be giving your wickets away to a part-timer like Joe Root. He is someone you should be looking to milk all day long.

The two youngsters Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran had to try and rebuild the innings and gave it a pretty good effort.

Pooran in particular has really impressed me so far this tournament, but we shouldn’t be asking two young guys to do it all.

The rest of the batsmen left them high and dry, and there was ample opportunity there on a Southampton pitch that didn’t have too much devil in it.

There is a lot of power in that batting line-up but maybe we are missing someone who can stick around. In my day we had Larry Gomes who could play that role.

Maybe they missed a trick by not choosing someone in the squad with the all-round skills who can play the role like Moeen Ali plays for England and filling that extra batting place which West Indies sorely needs.

Royston Chase would fill that role for West Indies because he can also offer a bit of spin as well and can anchor an innings with the bat.

The bowlers need to have a bit of a re-think as well.

They can’t go into every game thinking they are just going to blast teams out like they did Pakistan.

They need to be able to read the conditions, adapt to their opponents and the pitches put in front of them.

It’s all very well bowling short all the time, but the key to short bowling is the line as well as the length – you need to be asking questions of the batsmen and yesterday they weren’t able to do that.

But all is not lost just yet. Jason Holder has got to try and rally the troops and get them back on track. They started well in this tournament and are still in there fighting.

Bangladesh are up next on Monday and they are no pushovers – they beat the West Indies twice in a Tri-Series very recently, have beaten South Africa in this tournament already and made a very good fist of chasing down a huge total against England.

It’s a must-win clash for both sides – Bangladesh will be feeling very good about their game and it’s up to the West Indies to stand up and be counted.

© ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2019. All rights reserved
 
Jason Holder is willing to embrace the tag of underdogs in West Indies’ crucial World Cup clash with Bangladesh - but insists past encounters pale in significance in terms of what is to follow.

Level on points in mid-table after four games apiece, West Indies and Bangladesh go head-to-head at the County Ground in Taunton on Monday hoping to deliver a potentially fatal blow to their rivals’ chances of progression.

Victory is close to imperative, but a recent glimpse at the history books makes for grim reading for the Men in Maroon; Bangladesh emerging triumphant in seven of their last nine meetings, including last month’s Tri-Nation Series in Ireland.

An uphill struggle could well await, however, Holder is hoping the pressure environment of an ICC Cricket World Cup can level the playing field for his exciting team.

“If you want to put us in the underdog category, fair enough,” he said.

“We’ve played them quite a bit in the past and they’ve got the better of us, but it’s a different occasion and there’s lots at stake, so we’re all up for it.

“I don’t think there are any easy teams in this World Cup. We’re mid-table with five games left and the ball is in our court. We’ve got to play some consistent cricket going into the back half of the tournament.

“It’s quite a good stage to pick up some momentum. It’s a challenge against Bangladesh, so we just want to get over them and move forward.”

Bowled out for a meagre 212 against England last time out, Holder has been at pains to stress the importance of more careful batting from his powerful group of hitters.

Praise was reserved, however, for youngster Nicholas Pooran, who has belied his tender years with mature knocks of 63 and 40 in his last two World Cup innings.

“Everyone is hungry for runs,” Holder added. “I guess a few guys haven’t gone on and capitalised on starts and some haven’t got any starts. It’s another opportunity against Bangladesh to get some momentum.

“Pooran has been really good. I’m very pleased with his progress so far, he’s shown a lot of maturity and has a lot of shots in his locker.

“I guess, for him, marking himself really harsh, he’d like a hundred. Let’s hope he steps up tomorrow and carries it deeper."
 
Bangladesh bossing the WIs here. Still a long way to go however a defeat here would pretty much send the WIs home.
 
Shai Hope has promised to do ‘whatever he can’ to help the West Indies after their latest defeat left their hopes of World Cup progression dangling by a thread.

A key performer with the bat as the Men in Maroon set Bangladesh 322 for victory in Taunton, Hope saw his side eventually succumb to a disappointing seven-wicket loss following an errant second-innings bowling display.

Tasked with being the glue that holds an otherwise powerful West Indies together, the wicketkeeper-batsmen narrowly missed out on his century, falling to the bowling of Mustafizur Rahman on 96.

Despite the stoic knock, much of the focus in the immediate aftermath of the defeat centred on the Men in Maroon’s low scoring rate, with captain Jason Holder amongst those to suggest they had been under-par in that aspect during his post-match press conference.

Hope, however, brushed aside those concerns, claiming that his main aim was to add stability to a side that has losing wickets with regularity in the middle-overs during the competition.

“Whenever I step to the crease, it’s a case of batting as long as possible,’ he said.

“Don’t leave it for anyone else in the final overs, you just have to take responsibility.

“I can massively improve it (the strike rate). Whatever I can do to improve, I’ll do that.

“But it was a bit of a difficult spot for me in the sense that we keep losing wickets in the middle overs and putting the lower half under a bit of pressure.

“Having said that we need to keep the innings together and get as many runs as we can, especially in the back-end.”

Seventh in the table after their first five games, the West Indies now face an uphill struggle to make the ICC Men’s World Cup semi-finals.

Next up is a game against one of the early pacesetters, New Zealand, in Manchester on Saturday, where they will face another series test of their credentials.

And with victory over the Black Caps now essential, Hope said now is the time for major soul-searching if he and his teammates are to turn their form around.

“It’s now must-win,” he added.

“We have to put everything into getting those runs.

“As a team, we have to go back to the drawing board, find solutions and go and win the game.”
 
*Estwick: West Indies need to come back stronger and start finding solutions*

West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick has warned his side the time for excuses is over after their latest World Cup defeat against Bangladesh.

Put into bat first in a pivotal clash with the Tigers in Taunton, the Men in Maroon posted 321/8 in their innings, only to be undermined by an under-par bowling display as Bangladesh cruised home with seven wickets to spare.

Seventh in the table with just one win from their opening five ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup matches, captain Jason Holder was left frustrated with the ineffective implementation of the short ball and a low batting strike rate in his post-match press conference.

But while former Barbados player Estwick partially agreed with the skipper’s assessment, he also stressed the importance of sticking together in the face of adversity.

“If you look at it, I thought we were 60 runs short on that pitch and on that size field. We then didn’t take the opportunities that came our way,” he said.

“We were always behind Bangladesh once they got through to 70/1.

“The big players didn’t kick on but saying that we made 321 runs and should have been able to defend that.

“But we can stand here, saying ‘if this’ and ‘if that’ - we didn’t play well, we’ve lost the cricket game and that’s that.

“We’ve got to come back stronger. We’ve still got four games left in the tournament and we can’t point fingers or apportion blame to anyone.

“We have to stick together; that’s how good teams pull through.

“We’ve got to stop looking for excuses and start finding solutions.”

Defending a seemingly formidable total of 321, the West Indies appeared on course for victory until a stirring 189-run fourth-wicket partnership from Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das dashed their hopes.

Particularly effective against short balls, the Bangladesh duo made short shrift of the West Indian pace attack to seal victory in the most emphatic of fashions.

But instead of criticising his bowlers, Estwick instead paid tribute to the ever-improving Tigers as they kept their own World Cup hopes alive, while also promising his own side would come again with renewed vigour.

“Four years ago, everyone was saying how exciting and refreshing West Indies cricket looked,” he added.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If we’d bowled spin against Bangladesh, everyone would have said that we should have stuck to our strengths.

“Four games down the road, it’s the worst tactic in the world.

“Give Bangladesh credit. They played well and they’re an improving side.

“They’ve played us now five times in the recent past and have beaten us every time. We just have to go away and put our heads together and find a solution.

“We’re not down and out yet. We’re going to fight and come back harder.”
 
There is still a mathematical chance that the West Indies can make the semi-finals.

And even though it is looking increasingly unlikely, it is absolutely vital that they try and finish the tournament on a high note.

New Zealand are one of the teams I said would surprise most people before the tournament started and I have been proven right.

The West Indies need to raise their game if they are to have a chance against New Zealand at Old Trafford on Saturday.

In Kane Williamson, the Black Caps have a terrific captain and an even more impressive batsman.

His innings to knock off South Africa was absolutely masterful, one of the finest I have ever seen in an ODI game. He is a fantastic reader of the game and knows how to adapt to what is going on around him.

The West Indies would benefit from learning a thing or two from Williamson.

I was disappointed with the West Indies performance against Bangladesh. It would appear that they only have one way to play with no variation to their game plan.

They are trying to blast people out and I don’t think they understand the English conditions. You cannot always do that here because the pitches during this competition has been batsman friendly despite the rain. It might be green but it doesn’t always fly around.

Bangladesh were ready for that sort of onslaught and to chase down 320 with eight overs to spare is a great effort, but it is poor cricket by the West Indies.

They have themselves to blame if they miss the semi-finals, they should have beaten Australia and they definitely should have seen off Bangladesh as well. But the Bangladesh side did their homework and deserved their victory.

There have been some positives for the West Indies though. Shai Hope has been playing extremely well for quite a while since he has arrived on the international scene.

And it was good to see Evin Lewis get a score at last. I think he is a terrific cricketer.

If you have been getting out for small scores, and then get to 70, it is imperative that you cash in. Evin should have got to 130 in the same way that guys like David Warner and Aaron Finch have been doing.

That is the problem with the West Indies batsmen, they are getting good starts and then not capitalising by making big scores. They need to put a higher price on their wicket.

Two of them should have made hundreds at Taunton to bat Bangladesh out of the game like the top sides do.

And with the ball, the bowlers need to stick to a line and length instead of being wayward in both, which leads to leaking runs profusely.

If they do that against New Zealand they will be punished, and yet I still believe the West Indies can perform very well against them if they stick to the right script.

As it currently stands, it is hard to pick an overall winner as we move past the halfway stage of this fascinating tournament.

Any of the top four could be holding the trophy aloft come July 14, I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.
 
The West Indies have now lost three in a row in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and skipper Jason Holder has tried an unorthodox approach to try to reignite their campaign.

Ahead of a clash with New Zealand at Old Trafford, the side from the Caribbean eschewed the usual routine of training at the ground on the eve of the match, instead choosing to go clay pigeon shooting.

That followed some frank discussions after Tuesday’s defeat to Bangladesh, and Holder is optimistic the side can produce their best against the Black Caps.

He said: “We had a team event. We wanted to get the guys together, just have a team event, a team bonding session. And I think it went really well.

“I think we still have a possible chance to qualify for the semi-finals, but we've just got to take it game by game. This encounter with New Zealand is very important. We all know what's at stake and we just have to come and bring our A game. It's as simple as that.

“I think it's a situation where you've had to be tough. We've had a few frank discussions within the dressing room to find ways in which we can improve on. I think all teams would get themselves in that situation at some point. But, yeah, we've had some pretty good discussions over the last couple of days. And tomorrow is just a day to deliver.”

The two teams met in the final warm-up clash before the tournament, with the Windies making 421 in a comfortable win in Bristol.

While this day/night encounter will be a very different match, Holder believes that performance is proof that the West Indies can compete with the best teams in the world on their day.

“It just shows what we can produce,” said Holder.

“It's a situation where we've just got to pull on those resources, remember the things that we did in that game. And it just shows that when we're at our best what we can produce. I just think the guys just need to be clear, need to be calm and just execute their plans.

“It's just a situation where we've just got to play smarter cricket. We've just got to seize the crucial moments in the game. I don't think we've done that well enough here in this tournament so far.

“I'd say it's not impossible. We've beaten them before. We can beat them again.”

One man who is set to miss out in the game is all-rounder Andre Russell, who struggled with an injury in the defeat to Bangladesh.

Holder admitted that the team was having to manage a number of players with niggles, while indicating that spinner Ashley Nurse could return to the side to take on the Kiwis.

He added: “Traditionally here it spins a bit. It's something that we've got back in our minds as well.

“It could be a possibility that Ashley comes back into the side. But as a group we'll get together, try to decide on the best combination for tomorrow's game.”
 
WI needs to play Kemar Roach in place of Shannon Gabriel. Also needs to have a plan b if short balls don't work and no need to over do the short balls. Also should be bowling more yorkers.

I would have loved to see Andre Russell, even if only as a batsman. But I understand that he will not be playing tomorrow against New Zealand. On fitness ground I guess ?

So, Ashley Nurse will be back. West Indies needs a spinner in Nurse.
 
The West Indies might be relying on help from elsewhere to have a shot at making the semi-finals but Shimron Hetmyer has urged his team to finish the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup on a high.

The side from the Caribbean suffered a heartbreaking five-run loss to New Zealand at Old Trafford, centurion Carlos Brathwaite caught on the boundary off the final ball of the penultimate over when trying to complete an unlikely victory.

It was a devastating way to lose but Hetmyer, who had earlier hit a fluent 54, insists his team can bounce back, even if their semi-final hopes are now out of their own hands.

He said: “You could see from this and the past few games we have played that the feeling is always there.

“We know that on any day with our players, as we call them X-factors in our dressing room, anything could happen for us. We’re just a team that plays well when the energy is flowing and for us it’s about coming together as one for the next couple of games and working harder to try to finish on a high.

“I would have liked to have gone to the end and taken it hope for the team but I guess it didn’t happen. There are still three games to go and hopefully I get one of those match-winning innings in.

“Losing a game like this, the emotions run very high. So it’s about keeping our heads up.

“I was getting there where crying was concerned. I almost cried actually. It was a heartbreaking feeling for me after Carlos’ amazing knock.”

Chasing 292, the West Indies lost Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran early on, before Hetmyer and Chris Gayle put on 122 for the third wicket to shift momentum.

Hetmyer then missed a slower ball from Lockie Ferguson, but Gayle went on to make 87 before also falling.

For Hetmyer the hope is that Gayle has at least one more big innings in him in what is set to be his final ODI tournament.

“It’s always nice batting with Chris,” Hetmyer added of Gayle, who also picked up the crucial wicket of Ross Taylor.

“You don’t run a lot which is a nice thing. But it’s always fun batting with Chris.

“He’s someone who pushes you to do your best and he helps you in different situations, telling you how different bowlers will bowl to you in a different situation. He always gives you a positive energy so it’s always nice batting with him.

“Even with the ball as well, sometimes even in the field, he’s a very good player and a well-rounded player. He will be dearly missed but hopefully we can see some more of him in the next three games to come.”
 
West Indies failed to close put two tight games vs Australia and New Zealand, and that'll be what'll eliminate them.

Top teams win those tight games. Still a lot of work needs to be done with the ODI team, namely strike rotation and lack of quality spinners, but they have some exciting young talents.
 
The International Cricket Council has confirmed that the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 has approved Sunil Ambris as a replacement player for Andre Russell in the West Indies squad for the remainder of the tournament.
All-rounder Russell has been ruled out of further participation in the event due to an injury to his left knee. Twenty six-year-old Ambris, a top-order batsman, has played six Tests and six ODIs for the West Indies.

The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad.

The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 consists of Geoff Allardice (ICC, ETC chairman), Campbell Jamieson (ICC representative), Steve Elworthy (CWC representative), Alan Fordham (host representative), Harsha Bhogle and Kumar Sangakkara (both independent representatives).

ICC Media Release
 
Clive Lloyd: Both West Indies and Brathwaite have the potential to be great – they just have to make it a reality now

I’m hoping that after his hundred against New Zealand, Carlos Brathwaite realises that he can be as good as any all-rounder in the world.

He hits the ball so well and is a top-class cricketer; he’s not a T20 player alone, as his performance at Old Trafford demonstrated.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Carlos can make big scores and win games for the West Indies, but now he needs to turn his potential into reality.

West Indies could be one of the best teams around – they have the talent. Had the West Indies batsmen turned some of those 50s 60s & 70s 80s into hundreds they would have been in a better position in the points standing. As for the bowlers with a better understanding of the English conditions and better homework done on the opposing players they could have performed much better.

A team with Darren Bravo sat on the bench is a team with some talented cricketers.

They weren’t outplayed in at least three of their games that they lost (New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh) it’s just that they’re not putting the clinical finishing touches necessary to win games.

Against New Zealand, they were well aware of the asking rate; all they had to do was knock it around. It wasn’t about playing big shots.

It’s just reading the game properly, however it was a great team effort when you think about it they can be proud of some of their performances.

I just hope that they’ve learned from their mistakes and that they can rectify them because they are talented Cricketers.

Ultimately, the difference has been that the West Indies just aren’t settling in and making big scores.

Everyone in this tournament is making hundreds, but it says a lot that Carlos is the only West Indies player so far to do so.

We have the talent it’s just a case of pushing on and batting long.

In that regard, they need to look at the example set by Kane Williamson. The New Zealand captain didn’t break sweat at all, and just knocked it around on his way to a match-winning 148.

There hasn’t been much balance in the choosing of the squad in this competition, either.

Sheldon Cottrell wants to bowl fast, but he’s a swing bowler – and when he swings the ball he takes wickets.

In previous games, West Indies tried to bounce people out. This was an improvement, but only time will tell if they have learned those lessons.

There’s also no spin option there when the rest of the sides have two or three. Now, they have to try to produce a spinner capable of playing in the ODI format and in Test matches.

Roston Chase could play the same role as Moeen Ali does with England, and they also need someone who can hold the fort in the way Kane Williamson is doing for New Zealand.

West Indies have a lot of good strikers of the ball, but they don’t have a player like Larry Gomes to stick around or Royston Chase who can also do that job.

Shai Hope is the type of player they need to produce more of. If he hadn’t made the 96 against Bangladesh, the West Indies wouldn’t have made runs.

For all the criticism over his strike rate, if someone had stuck around with him against Bangladesh, Jason Holder’s side would have made 360 or above.

With three games left, the West Indies now have to focus on leaving here with some sort of pride, because they started well enough.

© ICC Business Corporation FZ LLC 2019. All rights reserved
 
Was hoping that WI would have made it to the semis. They are very exciting to watch.
 
26 June - Manchester - West Indies player Chris Gayle pre-match press conference

Q. Chris, you're going to play against India, but you very well know you have got tremendous fan following back home in India. How are you looking at this match?
CHRIS GAYLE: Well, we need two points, definitely. It's an important game for us. And there's still a slim chance for us to actually qualify. But anything's possible. And going up against India, it's always going to be a challenge.

I mean, they've been playing good cricket as well. I'm actually looking forward to it. And everyone knows India's style of cricket and hopefully we can actually conquer that tomorrow and get the better of them.

Q. How about your fans in India?
CHRIS GAYLE: I'm sure the fans are looking for some entertainment for sure, from not only me, but from all the West Indies guys. Since we've actually been a part of India's fraternity over the last couple of years, I know what style of cricket actually transpires in Indian cricket as well.

But it should be a very interesting game. And like I say, hopefully it will be go down to the wire and West Indies win.

Q. You know, the West Indies started off in great fashion, but somehow down the line started disappointing the fans, even the fans in India. How disappointed are you that some other consistency could not have been kept?
CHRIS GAYLE: As I mentioned, it's very disappointing. That start against Pakistan, everybody with the colours up and the fans say West Indies is actually a threat in the World Cup, even we still have a self-belief, but at the time when you get that first win, you actually lose momentum.

In that middle period, that game against Australia actually kind of cost us big time and that can actually take away the momentum from us. But like I said this is a game of cricket. It's the World Cup as well. It's never over until it's over.

It just goes to show how.

West Indies will actually fight or fought -- what's his name, he got 90-odd runs for his team, Coulter-Nile. He actually came and took the game away from us when we cruised into that particular time. It's just one of those things. And as I said, hopefully these youngsters can use these things as a learning experience. And whenever these times occur again we don't make those same mistakes.

Q. Another three matches, your career for the West Indies will end. If you look at your international career, the time that your best times was not the best time of West Indies cricket but you did your best. So as you look back at your career, like how satisfied or sad you are? And where do you see yourself around the batting of West Indies greats, where do you see yourself?
CHRIS GAYLE: I'm definitely up there. I'm definitely up there with the greats without a doubt. Like I say, I enjoy each and every moment of West Indies, playing for West Indies. Like I said, it's still not the end. I still have a few games to go. Maybe another series to go who knows we'll see what happens.

But like I say, it's been a lot of ups and downs. I've got to say I really enjoy each and every moment. But we share some quality moments with some quality players as well. I started my career with the likes of Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, you watch them on TV and you realize they're in the dressing room, it's just a bunch of guys.

And Brian Lara, the first captain as well, Carl Hooper. So it's some quality moments when you look back on it. I'll have to analyse it and give you full details, a better exclusive interview on that particular moment, and then you can take it further. But like I said I could not have had a better career as a player representing the West Indies.

Q. What has your advice been to the younger batsmen, the ones who seem to have struggled at the World Cup, whether it be Darren Bravo or anyone else? What are your impressions and your sort of interactions with them been like?
CHRIS GAYLE: I think you mentioned Darren Bravo. I think he only played one game. I don't think he actually played a lot of games. But the likes of Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, those guys got some starts, and I keep on pressing in the areas that when they get these starts against opponents, you have to build on it because it doesn't come easy, and you're going to find a difficult time in your cricketing career where you're going to be struggling for runs. So when you get those starts, you have to convert these 50s into 100s and be consistent as much as possible as well. So that was my words to them.

Q. You mentioned Brian Lara a little earlier on. I'm sure you heard the news yesterday he's been taken to hospital but fingers crossed he's going to be okay. I'm guessing everybody on the West Indies team is wishing him well that he gets a speedy recovery?
CHRIS GAYLE: Yeah, we are wishing him well. Although I don't know what the story actually -- what transpired with Brian. But like I say we wish him well. Hopefully he'll have a speedy recovery and get him back on the puck as soon as possible.

Q. And wanted to ask, the knock from Carlos Brathwaite the other night. How impressed were you with it? And do you know if he managed to get his bat fixed?
CHRIS GAYLE: Yes, I saw him with a couple of bats earlier today. That was a fantastic innings. I'm sure everybody was looking forward to that from Carlos. It's been a while. And it's good to see, Carlos actually came of age and produced such a good innings, got his first ODI 100 as well, so that's fantastic.

But it fell short. It was a very critical moment in the game. But you cannot fault his effort. I must say well done to him. Hopefully he can build on this from a personal point of view for him and just keep working on his game.

Q. You have seen a lot of Bumrah of late, and tomorrow, once again, resume the rivalry. So, different conditions maybe, because so how do you -- what is your advice to that how to tackle Bumrah. As an opening batsman?
CHRIS GAYLE: I mean, in the English conditions, the new ball tends to have a say, earlier in the opening batting innings. But once you conquer that, the batting will tend to become a bit easier.

Like I say Bumrah is the number one bowler in the world right now, if I'm correct. Like I say, he's a world-class bowler, producing all formats, I should say. And just take into stride just another bowler and play according to the situation.

Q. After this World Cup what are your plans going forward? And in your career what are your personal memorable moments and not so memorable?
CHRIS GAYLE: My plans are for the World Cup. Maybe a Test match against India and then I'll play, definitely play the ODIs against India. I won't play the T20s. That's my plan after World Cup.

Q. Memorable moments in your career?
CHRIS GAYLE: Two triple centuries in Test cricket. Those two will definitely be on top. A double century in the World Cup as well. Those are a couple of the moments to come up with at this particular time, but there's a lot more to actually talk about. But if I get into detail it will be a long list, to be honest with you. But I'll stick with those for now.

Q. You just spoke about some of the memorable moments with three matches in the World Cup to go. Is there something you would like to achieve other than, for the team, personally? And has there been a moment in your life where you were really angry at yourself in your career as a batsman?
CHRIS GAYLE: Oh, yeah, but no one will actually see it. In these three games, I'd love to get a hundred as well. But if it doesn't happen, I can't actually complain or be too hard on myself. I've actually achieved a lot. But the more -- what I really wanted was actually to be in that playoff. What I really wanted was to be in that final four and then anything could have actually happened and then to be able to get my hands on the World Cup. We'll see what happens.

Q. In the past few years, I feel people have become more excited about the way West Indies cricket has been going and shown some really good times. Anybody in this current squad or makeup of the West Indies, because Jason's spoken about how you're kind of like a good co-captain there and anyone that's impressed you or are you expecting any big things from that could possibly be a mini-universe boss?
CHRIS GAYLE: Mini-universe boss, that's a serious name. Definitely the future is bright for West Indies cricket, without a doubt. The likes of Nicholas Pooran and Hetmyer, his name has been calling in all forms of the game so far. For these guys to actually believe and build on these things. And the cricket, they can learn as a youngster. Trust me, it will be much, much better for them within their career going forward.

But Pooran, his work ethic -- I must commend Pooran's work ethic. It's fantastic for a youngster to actually just come into the team. And he's going to be a world record beater, [knocking on the wood]. Nicholas Pooran is going to be a savage youngster, trust me on that one. And like I said, Bravo has been around for some time. And Shai Hope as well.

Definitely have a big part to play in West Indies cricket. He's a guy who actually may be a future captain as well. So he's got a start, I think, going down that line as well. So it's something everyone has to rely on each other, to be honest with you.

Q. You've obviously played a lot against MS Dhoni and this India team. Were you a bit surprised by the way Dhoni went into a shell against Afghanistan in the last match?
CHRIS GAYLE: Honestly, I didn't watch the game, seriously. I didn't watch the game. So I cannot comment on the legend.
 
26 June - Manchester- West Indies Captain Jason Holder pre-match press conference

Q. West Indies-India tomorrow, how is the team looking? We know there's some injuries, Dre Russ is out, of course. But Ambris is here. Is he likely to be played tomorrow in opening? And how is Evin Lewis in terms of his fitness?
JASON HOLDER: Evin had a scan and nothing showed up. He trained today. I guess we'll make an assessment tomorrow morning and we'll see how he pulls up.

In terms of the squad, I think everybody's upbeat for the occasion. Playing India is always a big game for West Indies, and we're looking forward to it. First we need to finish the campaign as best as we can. And our objective is to win all three games.

Q. India has always been a good game for West Indies. When you look at how their trajectory is going, do you think that West Indies have it in them that they can actually go and win?
JASON HOLDER: Yeah. I think at the start of this tournament we all match up, every single team. And most captains say that; it's a competition where (indiscernible) play good cricket on any given day, anyone can beat anyone. And it's just a matter of us putting together a complete game. We've shown glimpses here and there what we can produce. And as a side we just haven't brought it together collectively more often than not. And it's hurt us in games before. So tomorrow is another opportunity for us to bring it all together and play a perfect game.

Q. What's it been like since you've had two defeats that have literally -- the first one, with the ball against Bangladesh, one with the bat against New Zealand -- what's it been -- these are sort of campaign-destroying ending sort of defeats. How has the team dealt with it knowing that your chances of progressing now are very, very slight and based on so many other things? How have you managed?
JASON HOLDER: It has something. It's been two crushing defeats. And we felt them drastically over the past couple of days. But it's a situation where learning must take place. I think it's significant for everybody just to draw on their own resources and look at themselves in the mirror and try to make sure that learning takes place.

And it's a matter of us just to keep going. There's no point to drop our heads. We've got three games left in this campaign and we've got to just win all three games.

Q. Since the ball has not swung or seemed quite significantly, do you think there's more incentive for bowling yorkers in these conditions?
JASON HOLDER: They're pretty big fields. We played a few games on some massive fields and some massive square boundaries. If you put the grounds into context most of the guys have used the wicket quite nicely. If it's a situation where yorkers are required and you feel as though yorkers are giving the ball on that particular day, based on the conditions you go for it.

Having said that, length bowling has worked pretty well in this tournament so far. And guys who have also been good to execute yorkers have had success as well. I guess it depends on the venue and how the conditions play.

Q. There's been some tight results -- Afghanistan against India included, your result against New Zealand, now Pakistan has New Zealand under the cush. Do those sort of results give you more confidence going into your last three games, considering you're in must-win situations? And also, sorry, can you give me your general feelings about Chris Gayle's influence on the West Indies cricket setup?
JASON HOLDER: Firstly, as I said, we've had some close games in our World Cup campaign so far. And it just shows with us playing a few more scenarios a bit better, who knows what the result could have been. We look back on the games that we've played and we definitely didn't seize crucial moments in certain games.

If you put it into perspective of the teams that are doing well, they're doing those good things and seizing crucial moments within the game. That's what's required in the tournament such as this one.

As it relates to Chris's impact on the squad, I think he's done a hell of a job, more so off the field and also on the field. And he's been obviously one who holds a presence in the dressing room. And the guys really look up to him and they shared a lot of knowledge over the past couple of weeks. He's been firm when he had to be firm and he's been honest. And I think honesty is something that should go a long way in any dressing room. And he's been good for us.

Q. You were looked upon as someone who would take West Indies cricket to greater heights and you started off pretty well in the tournament. Even before the tournament you had some outstanding wins. What went wrong?
JASON HOLDER: As I said on numerous occasions, we just didn't take the crucial moments in previous games. We've had lots of close encounters. I think with the exception of the game where we were outplayed by England, I think all the other games we've been in them with a chance to win them, but we didn't seize crucial moments in those games.

Q. Question about all the young batsmen on your team -- Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Darren played just one game -- what are your impressions of what they've done, because they've been on and off in the batting order, had to move around for a bit because of the injuries and the rest of it?
JASON HOLDER: Yeah, injuries have definitely plagued us. But I've been proud of them so far. I think for them it's just a matter for them to grasp batting on the international circuit. And I think Shai has done a reasonable job so far. Hety has shown glimpses of brilliance, as well as Nicholas.

It's up to them to take it deeper. They've got to be the rock and soul for our team. And they've got to set up games and learn to close them out. And great young players are great players, full stop. They get themselves in, set themselves up and they go very, very big.

And a guy who has done that over the tournament is Kane Williamson. Just see the way how he goes about his business, he sets it up and goes big and bats down to the very, very end.

Q. It's my understanding that Chris Gayle has reversed his retirement and is making himself available for the test and ODI series against India in August in the West Indies. Can you shed some light on that?
JASON HOLDER: Yeah, I was just updated by Phillip. He didn't really say anything in the dressing room. But, yeah, it's great and it's great for cricket. It's good to have Chris around, as I said before. He's got a lot to offer still, I believe. And hopefully his body can hold up. Hopefully he can be on the field a bit longer for West Indies.

Q. Did he say if that's going to be that last series?
JASON HOLDER: I just found out as well, too. I guess I have to go downstairs and have a serious conversation with him. But, yeah, if he's dedicated to playing for West Indies any longer then I feel it's definitely going to benefit us having him around.

Q. With Dre Russ, did he decide that his body just couldn't take anymore, or did the doctors have to tell him that he just, he wouldn't get through a game?
JASON HOLDER: It's a bit of both, I guess. It's a situation where he's playing through pain and it's gotten to a point where it's been a bit unbearable. And we just sat down with him and he's gone through all the relevant tests and conversations with the relevant personnel and that was just the decision we came up with.
 
Look it's been very heart breaking to see them bow out but they did lighten up this tournament with their fast bowling but unfortunately were unable to show much consistency with the bat which was their biggest down fall, on the wrong side against NZ but it was a great game for the tournament and the best from an entertainment POV. WI bow out but not before giving up some great periods of play in this tournament, hopefully next time round they can turn things around; great crop of players to work with moving forward
 
Gayle insists he’s an all-time great but West Indies career is not done yet

Chris Gayle has never lacked for confidence – how can you when your nickname is Universe Boss?

So when the West Indies opener was asked where he ranked in the pantheon of the greatest cricketers from the Caribbean, there was no false modesty.

Instead, Gayle took the opportunity to remind everyone of what he has achieved, while revealing that his planned international retirement after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 will actually be pushed back by at least a few months.

He said: “I'm definitely up there with the greats without a doubt.

“I enjoy each and every moment of playing for West Indies. It’s still not the end. I still have a few games to go. Maybe another series to go who knows we'll see what happens.

“My plans for after the World Cup, maybe a Test match against India and then I'll definitely play the ODIs against India. I won't play the T20s. That's my plan after World Cup.

“In these three (remaining) games, I'd love to get a hundred as well. But if it doesn't happen, I can't actually complain or be too hard on myself.

“I've actually achieved a lot. But what I really wanted was to be in that final four and then anything could have actually happened and then to be able to get my hands on the World Cup. We'll see what happens.”

The Windies’ hopes of lifting the trophy are slim – they will need to win their three remaining games, starting against India at Old Trafford on Thursday, while hoping that other results go their way to reach the semi-finals.

For Gayle, the clash with India gives him the opportunity to face a number of players who he has seen close up in the Indian Premier League in recent seasons.

That includes Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s number one ranked bowler, and Gayle knows their personal battle will be crucial to the outcome of the game.

He added: “In the English conditions the new ball tends to have a say, earlier in the opening batting innings. But once you conquer that, the batting will tend to become a bit easier.

“Bumrah is the number one bowler in the world right now. He's a world-class bowler, producing in all formats.

“Going up against India, it's always going to be a challenge. They've been playing good cricket. I'm actually looking forward to it. And everyone knows India's style of cricket and hopefully we can actually conquer that tomorrow and get the better of them.”

Although Gayle plans to extend his career a little longer, the future of West Indian cricket will fall into others’ hands, and the 39-year-old singled out Nicholas Pooran as one who will carry the team forwards.

He added: “The future is bright for West Indies cricket, without a doubt. Nicholas Pooran is going to be a savage youngster, trust me on that one.

“But Pooran, his work ethic – I must commend Pooran's work ethic. It's fantastic for a youngster to actually just come into the team. And he's going to be a world beater, knock on wood.”
 
And so the end of winning the World Cup for the Windies and just pride to play for...
 
27 June - Manchester - West Indies player Kemar Roach post-match press conference

Q. Your performance, West Indies' performance in this tournament, you have started well against Pakistan, and people were assuming that you would be a good team and would reach the semifinals. But day by day in the tournament, your performance has been gone wayside. What's the reason behind this? Are you relaxed, or were you not expecting to get some good performance in this tournament?
KEMAR ROACH: It's tough to say. I think, obviously after the first innings against Pakistan, the guys were confident going forward into the World Cup. I think a couple of close games between Australia and then a couple of other teams, New Zealand, I think it's tough because you want to get over the line, obviously, and get some confidence going forward but it didn't work out for us.

But I think the guys, you know, keeping our heads up. We're out now, but obviously there's a future for us. I think we're still learning, couple of young guys on the team got a great future for them. And it's all about being positive and looking forward.

Q. It was not a very easy pitch to bat on. The way Virat Kohli was bowling it seemed as if he was batting on a different pitch. A few words on how difficult he is to bowl to?
KEMAR ROACH: Virat is a class player, I would say. The world knows that. It's always tough coming up against him. He's a fighter. So I think, yeah, it was a pretty -- it looked like a slow pitch for us. I think it's about being consistent as a bowler, putting the balls in the right area.

There was enough there for us and it showed. I think we bowled pretty well as a bowling group today. To restrict India for 260 I think we did a pretty good job. But, you know, that's all part of cricket.

But as I said, Virat is a quality player. And it's always tough coming up against him.

Q. Your own input into the World Cup, you probably didn't play as many games as you would like, but from a personal perspective today your figures look great and you bowled well. And you and Jason kept the scoring down. How did you feel about that personally?
KEMAR ROACH: I thought today for me, I was in good rhythm. The ball came pretty well. And I was very consistent. I was proud of myself of the figures, obviously picking a few wickets for the team and being very economical. It was very good.

And Jason bowled well. All the bowlers bowled well. As I said, to restrict India for 260 is always going to be good. They're a quality batting lineup, some world-class players on their team. And I think 260 on that pitch was, for me, below par. But there was just, just not our day for the batsmen. So go look at ourselves deeply and obviously move forward.

Q. By the 41st over both you and Jason, you had completed your quota. So do you think somewhere Jason got the tactic wrong because in the last end over (indiscernible) maybe from you or from Jason a few overs, because when he was not playing as well? So some overs could have been kept? Maybe he got the tactic wrong?
KEMAR ROACH: I trust Jason as a skipper. He has his plans and he has been a pretty good skipper for us the last couple of years. Obviously I trust him with what he was thinking. So I think me bowling out and him bowling out pretty early, it wasn't bad.

Obviously you want to get stuck into the India middle order as early as possible. And I think we did that. I think that's the guys coming in after that, they just have to understand some aspects. And obviously it was to deliver and execute as well as we can.

I think we did that pretty well. But kudos to me and Jason and obviously all the whole bowling team, but I think it was a pretty decent performance for us.

Q. After seven games against the top teams you have only Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to play. How do you look at India's performance and India's strength and weaknesses as compared to the other six teams that you have played before today?
KEMAR ROACH: It's the World Cup; the best 10 teams are here. So coming up against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan is going to be just as tough as any other game. It's all about us staying positive, execute on our plans.

Q. I meant India's performance as compared to the other teams you have already played.
KEMAR ROACH: Well, I didn't play much, but in this performance today, obviously, as I say, a quality lineup. Tough team. They're very smart and they know what they're doing. They've been together for a while and they've been a quality team for a while.

So I think playing against them, you know, is an eye-opener. Obviously you've got to be on your P's and Q's obviously and be very sharp. It's a good test and obviously it's a good lesson going forward into the rest of the tournament.

Q. You talked about the future. What does the future look like for you and for West Indies cricket? How should things move forward after this, do you think?
KEMAR ROACH: Yeah, I think we have a bright future. We have some quality players around. Hetmyer and Oshane, the younger guys, once they get some good guidance, they'll do well for West Indies. And I'm confident in the guys. I'll always be a fan of West Indies cricket for sure. And there's no doubt about it.

Yeah, as I said, it's all a good future for us. There's a couple of guys back home doing well as well. So hopefully we'll see these guys filter into the West Indies team in the probably near future.
 
Roach insists future is bright for West Indies after defeat to India

Fast bowler Kemar Roach insists that West Indies have a bright future despite their elimination from ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 following their 125-run defeat by India.

Roach, 30, was the pick of the Windies bowlers at Old Trafford, taking 3/36, including the big wicket of opener Rohit Sharma.

And speaking after his side’s fifth defeat from seven games, Roach said: “We have to look at ourselves deeply and move forward. We’re out now but there’s a future for us.

“We’re still learning and there’s a couple of young guys in the team who have great futures. We have some quality players around like Shimron Hetmyer and Oshane Thomas. Once they good guidance they will do well for West Indies.

“I will always be a fan of West Indies cricket. There are some more players back home and hopefully you’ll see them filter into the side in the near future.”

Roach defended the decision to use up his and captain Jason Holder’s quota of overs well before the end of the Indian innings.

India’s total of 268/7 was short of where they seemed to be heading after the second-wicket stand of 69 between KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.

But the Windies never got close and lost their last seven wickets for 63 runs in 14 overs.

Roach said: “I trust Jason as skipper. He’s been a good skipper for us the last couple of years and of course it was early that we had both bowled out.

“But you want to get stuck into the Indian middle order as early as possible. It was a slow pitch. It was all about being consistent with the ball and bowling good areas.

“I was in good rhythm and bowled pretty well. I was proud of my figures and being economical. Jason also bowled well – in fact all the bowlers did well.

“We did a pretty good job of restricting them to 268, which I thought was a below par total. But India are a tough team. They’re smart and they know what they’re doing.

“Playing against them is an eye opener – you have to be very sharp. They have a quality batting line-up with world class players.”

Roach has played only three of West Indies’ seven matches so far in the tournament and had no explanation for his side’s disappointing showing following their victory over Pakistan at Trent Bridge in the second match of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.

He said: “It’s tough to say. The guys were very confident after the start against Pakistan but then we had a couple of close games against Australia and New Zealand.

"You want to get over the line and get some confidence.”
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kemar Roach "West Indies have a bright future, we have some quality players around like Hetmyer and Oshane and the younger guys. Once they get some good guidance they'll do well" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/NjLLrNCyk8">pic.twitter.com/NjLLrNCyk8</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1144516767487856640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 match against India at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Brathwaite was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match.”

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Brathwaite, who now has two demerit points since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016.

The incident occurred in the 42nd over of India’s innings, when Brathwaite protested the umpire’s decision of declaring a wide off his bowling.

Brathwaite admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees, and as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Richard Kettleborough and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Michael Gough and fourth official Aleem Dar levelled the charges.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Brathwaite had been handed one demerit point for a similar offence earlier in the tournament, in the league match against England on 14 June in Southampton.
 
West Indies head coach Floyd Reifer urged his players to play for pride as they start to rebuild for the future.

Jason Holder’s team came into the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup as many experts pick to spring a surprise, especially after scoring 421 in a warm-up victory over New Zealand.

But an opening win over Pakistan at Trent Bridge has proved the highlight and India were the latest team to lower their colours, with a 125-run win at Old Trafford.

Reifer and Holder held an impromptu team meeting for 90 minutes after this defeat and the head coach, who replaced Richard Pybus on the eve of the World Cup, wants to see a response against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in their concluding matches.

“We had some frank discussions about the World Cup that we’ve had and we’ll try to finish the tournament as a strong unit now,” he said.

“We are still playing for pride, we know that 67 million people back home in the Caribbean are backing us and we are representing them here.

“This is about our journey, there is cricket after this World Cup and we need to find that winning formula and culture again.

“We’ve not done too well in the World Cup, we can see improvements but we need to put together a complete game.

“The guys bowled well against India and the fielding was much improved but it’s about getting all three departments working together to win cricket games.”

Reifer also made special mention of the contribution of Chris Gayle, who is expected to conclude his colourful ODI career with the West Indies next week.

He added: “Chris said a lot of good things in the meeting and made a lot of good points and it’s always good to have him in the dressing room. He’s a champion.”

West Indies restricted India to 268/7, Kemar Roach the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/36. But key batsmen Gayle and Shai Hope went early as the Windies found themselves facing a battle on 16/2.

And newcomer Sunil Ambris, opening alongside Gayle, admitted it was a missed opportunity.

“It was a very disappointing game for us, we should have got that score if we’d batted properly,” he said, after topping the Windies batting figures with 31.

“We were happy with the way we bowled, we’d have taken their total at the beginning of their innings.

“It was rough losing Chris so early because we know how important he is for our team. Shai is the guy in form too which made it very difficult.”
 
Clive Lloyd: West Indies World Cup has been a disappointment – it now looks like India are the team to beat

West Indies’ chances of making the semi-finals are now over – and that really has to be called a disappointment.

Particularly considering what a good start they made to their campaign.

They won well against Pakistan and then when they had Australia at 79-5 in their second game – I really thought they might be able to do something special this year.

But in the end that Pakistan game has been their only victory and they only have themselves to blame.

Too many times the batsmen have got themselves out when all it needed was a bit more application.

They have lacked the experience needed to bat their opponents out of a game.

The odd batsman has received one with their name on, but really very few balls have really deviated and caught somebody unawares.

They have some terrific young players in this side, guys like Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer have shown in flashes that they are a match for anyone in the world.

But no-one has really made a big score.

The fielding was good throughout the tournament, and when they bowled with a consistent line they looked fantastic.

Unfortunately they couldn’t match a fine effort with the ball against India when they went out to bat.

I have been impressed by India though – I think the winner of the whole thing is going to be one of them or Australia.

New Zealand have long been my outsiders but they will need to show me something at Lord’s against Australia if they are to go the whole way.

Any team that wants to lift the trophy will have to beat India, they are unbeaten so far and look a very well-balanced side.

The bowling attack has impressed me most of all. Jasprit Bumrah is a fantastic discovery but behind him guys like Mohammed Shami and the wrist spinners have been really impressive.

What I like about their attack, as opposed to many in this tournament, is that they bowl to take wickets.

They want to get men out, they are always on the attack rather than being defensive and trying to get through their ten overs.

They are unbeaten, but they are not unbeatable.

Make early inroads into their batting line-up – where they only have five specialist batsmen – and you have a chance.

Of course, a lot of that depends on getting rid of Virat Kohli – the best batsman in the tournament.

David Warner is batting well as is Aaron Finch while Shakib Al Hasan is a terrific cricketer. But Kohli is the best in the business and it is he who holds the key for India.
 
30 June - Chester-le-Street - West Indies head coach Floyd Reifer pre-match press conference
Floyd-Reifer-West-Indies-PRE-CWC-30JUN19_Moment
Q. Coach, on circumstances of this nature, where your team finds yourself out of the World Cup, how do you motivate them to play a match for a game like tomorrow?
FLOYD REIFER: Yes, we are out of the World Cup, but there is still a lot of cricket to play after the World Cup. It's important for us to, you know, find the winning ways and find the winning formula going forward, so it is important for us to play this game as hard as possible.

We want to create that winning culture. It has to start from somewhere. So we're going to approach every game in a professional manner. The guys are still up for it. We're good to go.

We had a long conversation in the dressing room, so we did a lot of soul-searching. It is important for us and important for the fans in the Caribbean as well, for us to put up the performances, even at the back end of the World Cup.

Q. The battle between Lasith Malinga and Chris Gayle, how big is it going to be tomorrow?
FLOYD REIFER: Well, these guys have played against each other for the last 10 years, 12 years, so they have had some good battles. We expect a good battle tomorrow between Malinga and Chris.

Q. You said there was a lot of soul-searching in that long meeting in the changing room. What sort of things were discussed? Where has it gone wrong for you guys in this tournament so far?
FLOYD REIFER: I think we didn't seize the key moments in games. You look back at our tournament, we played well against Pakistan. We had Australia on the ropes. New Zealand as well, you know. I thought we need to seize the key moments in the game. At crucial times we, you know, we dropped a few crucial chances as well.

And then collectively, you know, we didn't bat properly. So it's just small things that we didn't do, the 1 percenters that didn't we do well. So these are the sort of things we discussed as a team.

The players are not comfortable with their performances, responsibility, those sort of conversations that we had in that team meeting. So going forward, I'm looking forward to seeing how the guys play in the next two games.

You know, we have a lot to play for. Like I said before, there is a lot of cricket to play after the World Cup, so it is important that we keep building what we did well here as well in the World Cup because we did some things well, you know, but it's just the end result wasn't in our favour.

Q. Depending on what happens today in Edgbaston, Sri Lanka could be out of contention for the semifinals as well. Does that have any influence on your mindset going into the game at all?
FLOYD REIFER: No, our mindset is to win. Obviously there is a process to winning by playing. You have to bat, bowl and field well. You have to make sure you are on top of your game in all three departments. So like I said, if the persons are playing a professional game, a game with intent, it is important for us to win, you know.

Like I said at the start, winning ways. We have got to create that winning culture and it can start from here now. We had some good games in the World Cup, but we just need to get the 1 percenters right. Once we get the 1 percenters right, then you will see we will get the results.

Q. Despite the semifinal hopes fading away, the fact that you guys have had a couple of very close games, and the fact that this West Indies squad, the average age is only 27, you tend to think that the future of West Indies cricket in safe hands?
FLOYD REIFER: The future of our cricket is good. You know, we have a lot of young guys here. Hope, Pooran, Hetmyer, Oshane Thomas. We have young John Campbell, he was injured from early. So our future is good. I'm confident in these youngsters that going forward we can bring West Indies cricket back to where it belongs at the top.

Yes, it is unfortunate we didn't get to the final four in this competition, but going forward I'm happy from what I have seen. Sheldon Cottrell had a very good World Cup. So we have a lot of young guys that we can mould and build a strong unit going forward.

Q. Coach, just following on from that question. Is there any one younger player you think has stepped up in this tournament who you identify as being a leader for the next generation of batsmen or bowlers, particularly that you would want to see sort of do much better and be part of the, be a leader for the next generation team, once guys like Gayle are gone?
FLOYD REIFER: Yes, like I said, we have a group of guys that for us is to create leaders and that is something we have got to focus on in the Caribbean as well in our franchise and first-class cricket to create more leaders amongst ourselves.

We have a good young group of players. Like I said, Hetmyer, Hope, Sheldon Cottrell, Pooran. Those guys are young players and we have young guys coming up as well, Keemo Paul.

So we have good talent in the Caribbean in the system. We have to make sure that we nurture that talent very well. When we get back to the Caribbean it's important that we, you know, put guys in the environment and put them in a tough situation where they have to train and train hard and prepare and prepare well.

Q. Has anyone in this World Cup stepped up and shown signs of being that leader?
FLOYD REIFER: Yes, young Hope, he's done well in the batting. Hetmyer, he was U19 captain. In the bowling department, I like the effort that Sheldon Cottrell put in. He is a soldier and a true soldier as well. But he put in a really good effort in the field, batting -- not batting, but bowling, he bowled with energy, you know. He really put 120 percent in every time he bowled and also in the fielding as well, so we have some players that we identify as future leaders.

===

West Indies have done some soul-searching since their elimination from the World Cup and head coach Floyd Reifer insists the clash against Sri Lanka is their first step on the path to a brighter future.

The West Indies were knocked out of semi-final contention by India on Thursday and then had a team meeting in the Old Trafford changing rooms that lasted over an hour.

An opening win over Pakistan has been followed by nothing but defeats and washouts for the West Indies to leave them searching for answers.

But with Sri Lanka up next in Durham on Monday, Reifer insists there is plenty to play for.

“Yes, we are out of the World Cup, but there is still a lot of cricket to play after the World Cup. It's important for us to, you know, find the winning ways and find the winning formula going forward, so it is important for us to play this game as hard as possible,” he said.

“We want to create that winning culture. It has to start from somewhere. So we're going to approach every game in a professional manner. The guys are still up for it. We're good to go.

“We had a long conversation in the dressing room, so we did a lot of soul-searching. It is important for us and important for the fans in the Caribbean as well, for us to put up the performances, even at the back end of the World Cup.”

The West Indies have come very close to further victories at this year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

They had Australia in all sorts of trouble in their second game and came within a metre of beating New Zealand as Carlos Brathwaite produced some late-order fireworks.

But a failure to get over the line has cost them dear.

Reifer added: “I think we didn't seize the key moments in games. You look back at our tournament, we played well against Pakistan. We had Australia on the ropes. New Zealand as well, you know. I thought we need to seize the key moments in the game. At crucial times we, you know, we dropped a few crucial chances as well.

And then collectively, you know, we didn't bat properly. So it's just small things that we didn't do, the 1 percenters that didn't we do well. So these are the sort of things we discussed as a team.

“The players are not comfortable with their performances, responsibility, those sort of conversations that we had in that team meeting. So going forward, I'm looking forward to seeing how the guys play in the next two games.”

And Reifer insists the future of the game is in good hands after the emergence of young leaders like Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Sheldon Cottrell.

He added: “The future of our cricket is good. You know, we have a lot of young guys here. Hope, Pooran, Hetmyer, Oshane Thomas. We have young John Campbell, he was injured from early. So our future is good. I'm confident in these youngsters that going forward we can bring

West Indies cricket back to where it belongs at the top.

“Yes, it is unfortunate we didn't get to the final four in this competition, but going forward I'm happy from what I have seen. Sheldon Cottrell had a very good World Cup. So we have a lot of young guys that we can mould and build a strong unit going forward.
 
People get carried away by the T20 success of West indian players. But that is just what they are T20 specialists. They will be competitive in odis and even beat inconsistent or weaker teams like Pakistan, Srilanka Nz, Bangladesh.Afghanistan. Against the top quality teams in odis they will be found wanting like England, Auss and india
 
People got too excited after they beat Pakistan in their first match.

After that they were by and large a shambles apart from some glimpses of brilliance.
 
West Indies century-maker Nicholas Pooran wants to use his side’s disappointing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup campaign as a learning experience.

The 23-year-old left-hander made his maiden ODI century and his highest score in any senior cricket as the Windies suffered a seventh successive tournament defeat against Sri Lanka in Durham.

Pooran hammered an 83-run stand for the seventh wicket with Fabian Allen to give West Indies an unlikely shot at a record World Cup chase but they lost by 23 runs.

It’s the third time they’ve come close to a big scalp in recent weeks, after also losing out narrowly to Australia and New Zealand, scant consolation ahead of their final match against Afghanistan on Thursday.

“This hasn’t been a successful tournament for us but as sportsmen you fail more than you win and this has been a learning experience,” he said, after his 118-run contribution.

“We have a young team and a young batting line-up. Hopefully a lot of guys like me, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope and Fabian Allen have learned from this tournament.

“Hopefully when we play our next series against India we can start heading in the right direction and restore pride in West Indies cricket.”

Pooran and Allen looked to have put the Windies on top before Allen was run out for which Pooran said he ‘felt a bit responsible’. The batsman was then the victim of Angelo Mathews’ first ball in ODI cricket for 18 months.

He added: “Myself and Fabian were in control. The bowlers didn’t know where to bowl and we were scoring easily.

“This is cricket, it’s unfortunate. I had to capitalise in that over. I could have hit the ball for four and six and it’s a different game. I’m just disappointed. We are just finding ways to lose our games.”

Pooran has been marked out as a special player from a young age and this was his coming of age on the big stage, despite being on the wrong side of the result.

He acknowledges the comparisons with Brian Lara and admits that he watched a lot of film of the great man but does not intend to fuel the hype.

“I know people say a lot of things about me but if I don’t perform on the field it makes no sense,” he added.

“I just want to get better and better each day. I have had a lot of starts in this tournament but not converted.

“I don’t know what the future holds – I’m just thankful that I got the opportunity to play and I could show the selectors that I could play.

“I don’t want to be like anyone else, I just want to be Nicholas Pooran.”
 
Saj said:
People got too excited after they beat Pakistan in their first match.

After that they were by and large a shambles apart from some glimpses of brilliance.
Click to expand...

Well, my father told me a very relevant story yesterday, and I woke up a couple of times the last night laughing about it.

A group of homeless people arrived at a village for a temporary stay in their camps. A villager saw them and befriended them. He´d take part in their lunch and dinner, they´d happily serve him tea too everyday. At given opportunities, he´d even flirt with their sisters and daughters and get away with it. The people just had no sense of what´s going on.

Their temporary stay ended as they left. A passerby one day asked the villager as to why he seems so sad. He replied, "Buddhuo´n ka tola chala gya hai!" Meaning, "The group of fools has left!"

My father´s analogy here obviously was to the West Indies. They beat the "Group of fools" in the very first game and those days never returned as they´ve lost to every team afterwards.
 
Too many WIs players just don't seem to care whether they succeed as a team or not - well that's the impression I get.
 
Gabbar Singh said:
Too many WIs players just don't seem to care whether they succeed as a team or not - well that's the impression I get.
Click to expand...

Don't blame them. The WICB is also a joke and most of these players are left to fend for themselves. I think they are using the WC as a showcase of their strengths in the hope of landing cricketing contracts around the world. Thats probably why they suck as a team but shine as individuals
 
*3 July - Leeds - West Indies Assistant coach Roddy Estwick pre-match press conference*

Q. Coming in, you didn't have a lot of preparation for this team. It's a new coaching squad in many ways. I know a lot of you have worked with the team before. Would you have liked more time with the team before the World Cup?
RODDY ESTWICK: You always want more time. Unfortunately we didn't have more time. We had to work with what we had. Looking back over the eight games that we played, I mean I personally thought that we should have won four of those. We were very, very close. We just didn't play the big moments well. And hopefully we can learn from that and we can move forward and we can plan for the next one.

Q. In terms of the team itself, obviously there's been two really close chases where you guys didn't quite go over the line. How is the mood in the camp heading into this one after those losses?
RODDY ESTWICK: Surprisingly, driving down from Durham, after the loss, surprisingly the mood in the camp was still good. The boys on the bus were still playing dominos, the spirit in the dressing room was tremendous. And that can only serve us well going forward. So we're happy from that point of view. Obviously we're not happy losing games. But we started to build something, and once we can remain patient and we can keep building. Young players are coming through, and once that keeps happening then things will get a lot better.

Q. Pooran has been batting at four and five because of his form as much as anything. But he never made a professional 100 before the other game. Have you seen him improve as a batsman throughout this tournament?
RODDY ESTWICK: Yes, I've always believed in Nicholas. I went to Dubai with him and I saw him play the best white ball innings I've every seen anybody play. He got 148 in a youth World Cup game against Australia out of 208. So I'm not surprised by his talent. What's surprised me is it's taken as long as this to really come through. And I hope that he can build on this now and he can really cement his place for a very long time.

Q. Obviously this World Cup hasn't gone exactly as you planned, but what can you take out of this final game and what would you like to see from the team?
RODDY ESTWICK: Well, only walking in here a couple of minutes ago I remember our backs were against the wall against England (Leeds Test). We had lost badly at Birmingham. Everybody was saying the final day that we were going to lose to England badly as well. We chased 380 down. So hopefully tomorrow with backs against the wall we can come up with that kind of performance and we can finish on a high.

Q. You've used as many as four different players at the opening slot. Would you put that instability down to some of the problems within the team?
RODDY ESTWICK: Yes, if you look at most of the teams in the World Cup, they had the same opening partnership, but that wasn't down to form; that was down to people being injured and all those different things. You're not going to cry, but obviously missing Evin Lewis to injury, missing Russell to injury as well does hamper the team a bit. But you've got to be able to deal with things like that over a long period of time. So we really can't put it down as an excuse. We just didn't play the big moments well, like I said.

Q. In terms of fitness, can you give us a fitness update? Kemar missed the last one.
RODDY ESTWICK: That wasn't an injury; he was sick. He was out today. He had to bowl today. So hopefully he should be fit and ready for tomorrow.
 
West Indies drawing on previous English experience in pursuit of strong finish

West Indies are preparing for their final match of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019, against Afghanistan at Headingley on Thursday

The Windies have won just one of eight games in the tournament but will be looking to use their 2017 Test series against England for inspiration

The West Indies might be out of the running for a place in the World Cup semi-finals but assistant coach Roddy Estwick has backed them to finish on a high.

The side from the Caribbean close out their campaign against Afghanistan at Headingley, having failed to pick up a win since their opening success against Pakistan.

But Estwick drew parallels with the Test series in England two years ago when the West Indies upset England in Leeds, Shai Hope hitting a brilliant century to level the series after a big defeat at Edgbaston.

He explained: “Walking in here I remember our backs were against the wall against England (in 2017). We had lost badly at Birmingham.

“Everybody was saying going into the final day that we were going to lose to England badly as well. We chased 322 down. So hopefully with backs against the wall again we can come up with that kind of performance and we can finish on a high.

“Obviously we're not happy losing games. But we started to build something and once we can remain patient, we can keep building. Young players are coming through and once that keeps happening then things will get a lot better.”

When Estwick talks about young players, one who has really come to the fore has been Nicholas Pooran, talked up by Chris Gayle as the future of West Indies cricket earlier in the tournament.

Pooran’s century almost got the Windies over the line last time out at Durham against Sri Lanka, that ton his first as a professional.

But for Estwick, it has not come as a surprise to see Pooran emerge, insisting the 23-year-old, who will be back at Headingley later this summer with Yorkshire, has always had the potential.

He added: “I've always believed in Nicholas. I went to Dubai with him and I saw him play the best white-ball innings I've ever seen anybody play. He got 148 in a youth World Cup game against Australia out of 208.

“So I'm not surprised by his talent. What's surprised me is it's taken as long as this to really come through. And I hope that he can build on this now and he can really cement his place for a very long time.”

The Windies have had to cope with a number of injuries over the course of the tournament, losing Andre Russell midway through, while star bowler Kemar Roach missed the Sri Lanka game through illness.

He is expected to be fit for the clash with Afghanistan, where the Caribbean side will look to perform better in the crucial moments of the game.

Estwick added: “Looking back over the eight games that we played, I personally thought we should have won four of those. We were very, very close.

“We just didn't play the big moments well. And hopefully we can learn from that and we can move forward and we can plan for the next one.”
 
I'll not play Sunil Ambris. Instead will opt for Evin Lewis (if fit) or Darren Bravo (Hope opens then). Also Roach has to be back.

My WI XI vs Afg:

1. Chris Gayle
2. Evin Lewis
3. Shai Hope (WK)
4. Nicholas Pooran
5. Shimron Hetmyer
6. Jason Holder (C)
7. Carlos Brathwaite
8. Fabian Allen
9. Sheldon Cottrell
10. Oshane Thomas
11. Kemar Roach
 
Gayle leaves his mark on West Indies cricket

They came to see Chris Gayle, instead they had to settle for watching the future of West Indies batting.

Chris Gayle was out for seven in his final ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match for West Indies

West Indies beat Afghanistan in their final match at this World Cup by 23 runs

They came to see Chris Gayle, instead they had to settle for watching the future of West Indies batting.

Gayle was supposed to be the story at Headingley, playing his final match at an ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

A pair of tantalizing landmarks were within reach. Brian Lara’s record number of one-day runs for the West Indies would be beaten with a score of 18. If he reached 47 he would overhaul Lara as the Windies’ record run-getter in World Cups.

A nick behind off the bowling of Dawlat Zadran when on just seven ended his hopes of breaking either but Gayle’s impact will not be remembered for the numbers.

During a time where West Indian cricket has struggled to hit the heights of the great teams of the 1970s and 1980s, he has been more than just a great entertainer at the top of the order.

You just needed to watch the acclaim of the Indian fans before he took to the field against them at Old Trafford to understand Gayle’s global appeal.

He has inspired the next generation in the Caribbean and there was tangible proof on show in Leeds.

This team no longer relies on Gayle to set a target. He departed early but those who followed him carried the team past 300.

The World Cup has not gone as West Indies would have hoped since that thumping opening victory over Pakistan. But the seeds have been sown and may flower in four years’ time in India.

It started with Evin Lewis, not quite a facsimile of Gayle, but the closest copy the West Indies currently have.

Even an amateur sleuth can see why the left-handed opener views Gayle as his idol. Like his opening partner, a dozen years his senior, Lewis has the ability to score big hundreds, the prime example being his 176 not out against England at The Oval two years ago.

Here, he smashed a couple of sixes, including one beauty off his hips on the way to 58.

At 27, he is entering his prime, and the good news for the Windies is that Lewis is the oldest of the specialist batsmen not named Gayle.

If Lewis is a batsman in the mould of the Universe Boss, the same cannot be said of Shai Hope. Coming in at three, the wicket-keeper batsman anchored the innings on his way to 77.

His one-day average now sits above 48. Of those players at this World Cup who average more, only Pakistan duo Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam are younger.

In many ways this Windies batting line-up is hit and Hope. Everyone else hits, and Hope holds it all together.

The 25-year-old was involved in two fifty partnerships, first adding 88 with Lewis, then 65 with Shimron Hetmyer.

The left-handed Hetmyer is another prodigious striker of a cricket ball. Here he hit 39 off 31 in a glorious little cameo that left the crowd wanting more. With four ODI hundreds already to his name at just 22, they will get it, if not in this World Cup.

After Hetmyer came Nicholas Pooran, the revelation of this tournament from a Windies’ perspective. He ran himself out in comical fashion in the final over but prior to that he had added a second half-century of the tournament to the stunning hundred he scored last time out against Sri Lanka.

Yet another left-hander, like Gayle, Lewis and Hetmyer before him, Pooran has come of age in England, living up to the hopes placed in him when he scored 143 in a total of just 208 in an Under-19 World Cup quarter-final against Australia back in 2014.

Judged on this World Cup alone, the 23-year-old might have the most potential of all of them.

That quartet are the future but of course Gayle being Gayle, he was not going to bid farewell to the grandest of stages without a final flourish.

The great showman might have failed with the bat, but a diving catch – no really – and then a crucial wicket broke two potentially match-winning partnerships and ensured he finished with a win.

So as Gayle bids farewell to the World Cup stage do not be sorry that is over. Be grateful for what he achieved and the future he inspired.
 
West Indies’ batsman Shai Hope says the team must learn from their experience at this World Cup after winning just two matches.

Hope was named Player-of-the-Match after top-scoring with 77 in his team’s 23-run victory over Afghanistan in their final match of the tournament.

And Hope believes that there are plenty of lessons for the West Indies to take from their experience in England and Wales.

He said “It was definitely a learning experience, something I will never forget. Playing each game in this format you obviously have to be the better team on the day to progress in the tournament.

“Regardless of what happens in any team we have to go out there and play cricket."

After an emphatic seven wickets victory over Pakistan in their opening match, West Indies fell away.

They failed to capitalise on promising positions against Australia, first in the field and then when they batted, and also lost to New Zealand by just five runs when Carlos Braithwaite failed to clear the ropes for a six which would have given them the game.

He added: “We’ve got to improve from this experience, I’m sure we are going to use this is as a platform for the next four years so we can have something stronger and build more momentum.

“In a tournament like this you have to play your best game each game. If you muck up you are basically out of the tournament.

“I think we lost some of those games in some crucial situations. We basically allowed (Australia) to get that total. I still think we had a decent batting platform to chase the runs and didn’t play the situation as well as we could have.

“New Zealand? Yeah, the same thing. We had them in a spot of bother as well. You have to really grind them and they got away.”

Hope, who scored a century in each innings when West Indies defeated England by five wickets in Leeds two years ago, said he loved batting at Headingley.

“Two years ago I had some fun batting and it’s just nice to get out and perform again here. I’m not sure what it is, the wicket, the atmosphere. Whatever the case may be, I’m happy to bat here.”

Asked what he would miss most about team mate Chris Gayle, who played his final World Cup match on Thursday, Hope smiled and replied: “Probably sun glasses. There are too many things you can pick from Chris.

“Probably the whole world will miss him when he goes. It’s going to be a sad day for cricket.”
 
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