Having Chris Gayle back into the West Indies team surely serves to boost the morale and confidence among players. Gayle’s three half-centuries in four innings clearly indicates the authority in his batting and the other players in the team should learn and learn quickly to advance their batting skills. Gayle was named Man of the Series for the two Twenty20 games played in Fort Lauderdale, Florida against New Zealand.
Adjustments Must Be Made
The One-Day International cricket game comprises 50 overs and the West Indies must be determined to bat out their alotted overs and have their strategy in place to score a maximum competitive amount of runs.
Johnson Charles should be given the opportunity to play in the One-Day Internationals because he has the technique to defend and attack at will.
Lendl Simmons is a fine player and a brilliant fielder, but he has to curb his cross-batting ways. He gets well set at the wicket and then he apparently loses concentration along with over-confidence and plays carelessly.
Dwayne Smith is fond of big hitting but the 50-over game calls for constant singles.
Working The Ball
Working the ball around keeps the pressure on the opposition. With the big hitters the West Indies have and the experienced players who have the knowledge to keep the added pressure on the opposition, the West Indies could be staging big wins. However, every player must contribute in their own manner to boost the team’s efforts.
Selectors Must Be Careful In Shifting Bowlers
Kemar Roach is out injured and it is essential for the selectors to have their opening bowlers in place. Fidel Edwards should not have participated in the Twenty20 matches. Instead Tino Best should have been in the Twenty20 team. During that time Edwards should have been preparing for the One-Day Internationals and Test matches.
Ravi Ram Paul needs to have an experienced bowler with him to carry the new ball. Roach, whenever he regains his fitness, should be in the squad. Players tend to lose their rhythm when they are not playing at the highest level frequently.
Kirk Edwards may have a huge problem because he is not participating in One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 cricket. How many Test matches will the West Indies play in one year? Much more One-Day cricket is being played, which puts Edwards at a disadvantage.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul is much more experienced and can quickly adjust after returning from a long break. Kirk Edwards should be given the opportunity of playing One-Day cricket.
