PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC– Former West Indies fast bowler Andy Roberts says he disagrees with comments by West Indies coach Ottis Gibson who has tipped England as favourites to win the Champions Trophy which begins in the United Kingdom next week.
Gibson has picked out hosts England as the team to beat in the event because of their familiarity with conditions in the early summer.
However according to the once feared pacer England performs well in series against other countries as opposed to tournaments involving several teams.
“England struggles at tournaments. When they have separate series against a nation, they do well but when they reach tournaments with different teams they struggle,” said Roberts who has just been assigned head coach of the St. Lucia franchise for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
“I think South Africa and India can reach really far and even win this tournament.”
Meantime, cricket legend Desmond Haynes is seeking to discourage West Indies cricketers from playing their shots to early during matches in the Champions Trophy.
Haynes, the former West Indies opening batsman has identified the batting style of stroke maker Marlon Samuels as an example to emulate.
“They have to look at Marlon Samuels who was very successful in England last year. Marlon plays the ball very late, he does not play with his hands in from of his body and he has shown just how to get runs in England,”said Haynes, who was in Port of Spain Wednesday for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) press conference on player assignment.
“In England, the ball swings about the place, so you can’t go out there and play like a millionaire. The ball is not going to come on to the bat. I would advise our players to play the ball as late as possible, in order to get success”.
