Why Barbados all rounder Dwayne Smith is not in the West Indies One-Day squad is anyone’s guess. The swashbuckling 28-year-old batsman has proved himself time and again to be a quality One-Day player.
Twenty-20 star and Head Coach Ottis Gibson and the West Indies selectors ought to reconsider their options in both the One-Day International and Twenty20 Games.
Smith slammed 63 runs from 34 balls with four sixes. He and Johnson Charles gave the West Indies an opening start of 12 runs for the first wicket. Any batsman should be able to adjust from Twenty20 match to One-Day International.
Disappointing
Windies Score
It is important for the West Indies batsmen to build on their starts and keep up the momentum. The limited overs game is not based on fours and sixes only. Singles and twos are just as important in winning matches. This was proven when both the One-Day Internationals and the Twenty20 series were drawn. One run would have made the decisive difference in both series. West Indies batsmen are too focused only on boundaries and they are not concentrating on finding the gaps in the field. Nothing wears down a fielding team like a stream of singles and twos. The fielders quickly tire from constant running and those batting should make use of this opportunity.
In spite of the West Indies levelling the series, they should have won. Coach Gibson has to promote the key elements of consolidation and knowledge of the status of the game. Intelligence must be applied and not only the lifting of the bats in the air.
Dwayne Bravo
Must Score More
Experienced allrounder Dwayne Bravo must take on the role of a senior player and guide the younger players. The only meaningful manner to do so is by not getting out quickly, staying at the wicket and building the West Indies innings. Experienced players must play that role for the team to win matches or get close to winning. It is about time the West Indies put in place a wicket keeper/batsman who can produce runs frequently. For too long the West Indies team has suffered by not getting useful scores from its wicket keeper.
Batting Adjustments
A good assessment must be made of the quality of West Indies batting and the batting order must be presented to benefit the team. When batsmen of good starts they must go through and get good scores. The opposition always go after the in-form batsman or the batsman at the wicket who is excelling.
Strategy Must Be Implemented
All the West Indies batsmen must show a different approach in the test matches. The Australians are expected to play much tougher in the tests, therefore the Windies players must enhance their performances.
