Roseau, Dominica: West Indies captain, Floyd Reifer, says that his side will learn from the mistakes they made in the Digicel Test Series and bounce back in the Digicel One Day International Series against Bangladesh. “We are still confident because we know the mistakes that we made in the two (Digicel) Test matches,” Reifer told journalists after the Windies training session yesterday in oppressively hot conditions in Roseau, Dominica.
He conceded that the Bangladeshis, who won the Digicel Test Series 2-0 with comprehensive victories, will be confident and eager, but he believes that the home side can edge ahead in the shorter version of the game during the three match Digicel Series to be contested in Dominica and St Kitts.
“Once they are winning they will be confident. It’s very important for us to play a different game in the One Day Series,” Reifer declared.
And the Windies skipper believes that the critical difference will be in the batting department.
“Once we bat well, I’m confident we could win the (Digicel) Series. We’re really looking forward to playing good cricket. We’re willing to go out there and play tough cricket tomorrow,” said the 37 year old left handed batsman who celebrated his birthday on Thursday last.
When asked whether off the field issues were hampering the team’s preparation for the First Digicel ODI today Reifer said the players were focused exclusively on cricket.
“Off the field issues (are) not affecting the team at all. The guys are here to play cricket, they know what cricket means to the people of the Caribbean. All the past great players (who) played for the West Indies, we know cricket means a lot to them so we are going to go out there to play hard,” Reifer said. Despite the originally selected West Indies players making themselves available after boycotting the Digicel Test matches in St Vincent and Grenada, the West Indies Cricket Board has opted to retain what is effectively a second string squad. The ODI squad though is significantly more experienced than the Test side with the inclusion of Devon Smith, Rawl Lewis and Andre
Fletcher who have all previously represented the West Indies on the international stage. The trio, along with Nevisian teenager, Kieran Powell, and exciting Antigua wicketkeeper, Devon Thomas, will add strength and depth to the batting which faltered to the Bangladeshi spinners in the Digicel Tests.
The first two Digicel ODIs will be played at Windsor Park in Dominica and the final Digicel ODI will be contested at Warner Park in St Kitts. Warner Park will also be the venue for the one off Digicel Twenty20 match on August 2nd. It is the first time international cricket is being played in Dominica.
West Indies ODI squad: Floyd Reifer (Captain), Darren Sammy (Vice Captain), David Bernard Jr, Travis Dowlin, Andre Fletcher, Rawl Lewis, Nikita Miller, Nelon Pascal, Kieran Powell, Dale Richards, Kemar Roach, Devon Smith, Devon Thomas, Gavin Tonge
