Basseterre, St Kitts: West Indies Head Coach, John Dyson, has lauded the Bangladesh team for outplaying his depleted West Indies side in both the Digicel Test and Digicel One Day International series.
“Everyone seems to ignore the fact that they have played good cricket. They aren’t as weak as some people seem to think they are,” Dyson asserted at the end of the West Indies’ practice session yesterday afternoon. “There are some very good and experienced cricketers in that team and they played very good cricket,” said Dyson of the team which won the Digicel Test Series 2-0 and who hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match Digicel ODI Series. The Third Digicel ODI, a mere formality with Bangladesh having already secured the Digicel Series, is slated for Warner Park today and the one off Digicel Twenty20 is scheduled for Sunday.
Despite having lost the Digicel Series, the 55 year old former Australian opening batsman – who has been at the helm of the West Indies team for just under two years – said his team is anxious for a face saving win. “I’d like to have a win and I’m sure the boys would as well. I think they’ve (West Indies) actually played some good cricket over the (Digicel) Series but we just did not have the experience to get a win,” Dyson reasoned.
“Bangladesh batted well. I think we saw our inexperience come through in Dominica (during the Second Digicel ODI when West Indies made 274 but lost the match),” Dyson said.
“When you have a group of guys who have only played a handful of games between them, it’s a real pressure cooker in 50 over and Twenty20 cricket. They found themselves in the pressure cooker,” Dyson assessed.
Meanwhile, medium pace all rounder, Darren Sammy, picked up a groin injury during the previous game and had to shorten his run up and reduce his pace while bowling, but Dyson expects him to be fully ready to participate in the Third Digicel ODI.
“He bowled today (in the nets), he had two spells and he showed no signs of any problems from that. He’s batted extremely well in the nets, so at the moment he’s showing no signs of any problems at all. I expect him to be 100% fit,” Dyson assured.
