SYDNEY, Australia, CMC – A buoyant West Indies will try to defy a run of recent poor results and extend their winning streak, when they take on South Africa in another crucial Group B match in the ICC Cricket World Cup here Friday (11:30 pm, Thursday, Eastern Caribbean time).
Only last month, the Caribbean side were completely outplayed by the Proteas on African soil, battered 4-1 in a five-match One-Day International series where they appeared out of their depth at times.
And the stats make for dire reading. The one-wicket win in Port Elizabeth last month was the first time West Indies had beaten South Africa in an ODI in nine years.
More depressingly, in the three previous bilateral series, South Africa swept the Caribbean side 5-0 in each. In their last World Cup meeting in India four years ago, South Africa came away with a comfortable seven-wicket triumph in Delhi.
It underscores the nature of the task West Indies face when they walk out at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
Importantly, however, they enter the contest on the back of a good run, having defeated Pakistan and Zimbabwe convincingly to compensate for their embarrassing loss to Ireland in their opening game.
Coach Stuart Williams said the side had learnt a lot from the recent South Africa series and believes the next meeting between the two sides can be different.
“The series against South Africa was more about learning about our game and where we need to go,” Williams pointed out.
“We were playing the number one team in the world. Now it’s not a series, it’s just a one-off game in the World Cup so it’s a different mind-set, and we’re prepared for Friday.
“The guys have been [supporting each other], they have been working hard, they have been responding to my coaching and we’ve been doing fine up to this day.”
West Indies have responded brilliantly ever since losing to Ireland. Against Pakistan, they amassed 310 and then wiped out their opponents for 160, in a clinical all-round effort at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
They stepped it up in even further against Zimbabwe, piling up an incredible 372 for two – the fifth highest total in a World Cup game – to trounce the Africans by 73 runs in Canberra.
On the heels of these performances, Williams believes the Windies were beginning to fire on all cylinders. While he praised the batting unit, he said the bowlers were also now starting to find their momentum.
“We always stress on roles and achieving our goals in the team. Lendl Simmons has been doing well for us also, he has a hundred and a fifty in another game … (Denesh) Ramdin has been doing well and everybody has been chipping in and contributing, including (Darren) Sammy and (Andre) Russell,” Williams explained.
“But I think we had a question mark over our bowling from the Ireland game and from since that [game], Jerome Taylor put up his hand, being the senior statesman and leading our attack. He’s put up his hand and is doing a good job for us.
“Ever since the Ireland game I have not been really worried because we know as a team what we want to do and what we wanted to achieve and it’s just the way the guys have responded [that has been pleasing]. They showed character against Pakistan and topped it off against Zimbabwe.”
He added: “From the Ireland game, it was good to see how the guys responded. I think it showed character. All of the senior guys stuck together – Darren Sammy, (Chris) Gayle, Marlon (Samuels) – and said ‘guys, we can do this. Ireland was just a little blip. We’re going to come back.’ I’m just happy for the way the guys have responded since the Ireland game.”
Especially heartening for the West Indies camp has been the return to form of talisman Gayle. The usually prolific opener has struggled over the last 20 months, with just a half-century and an average of 14 to show for his efforts.
However, he came big against Zimbabwe with a stunning 215 – the first double century in a World Cup and the fastest one ever – to end his worrying slump.
Together with Marlon Samuels, who hit a career-best 133 not out, they put on 372 for the first wicket – the highest partnership for any wicket in ODIs.
With Gayle in form, West Indies will be even more confident of a positive result, and Williams said it was a plus seeing both Gayle and Samuels hit form at such a critical time in the tournament.
“It was just brilliant to watch. Making 200 in a one-day game is not an easy feat and you know the longstanding injuries that Chris Gayle has been having … so it was just pleasing to see,” said Williams.
“It was an excellent partnership with Marlon Samuels. You can’t forget Marlon, he played his part as well and got his highest score. It was just an excellent innings. (Darren) Bravo went down [injured] in the last game and we asked him to bat at number three – he’d been batting at number four for a while – and he actually put up his hand and said he wanted to do it. Actually, he volunteered to do it.”
Bravo has been ruled out of consideration for the South Africa game, having failed to recover from a hamstring injury.
SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Marlon Samuels, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Denesh Ramdin, Sheldon Cottrell, Kemar Roach, Nikita Miller, Sulieman Benn, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor.
