West Indies’ elimination from the 2015 cricket World Cup was predictable but the manner they were hammered by New Zealand in Saturday’s quarter-final was depressing to say the least.
With six wins on the trot from the group round-robin competition, New Zealand were clear favorites to advance but West Indies helped the home team with another flawed display, characterized by thoughtless batting and inconsistent bowling from a fatigued attack.
In what has become a frustrating routine, the bowling collapsed in the second half of New Zealand’s innings and Martin Guptill capitalized with a whirlwind World Cup record unbeaten 237-run innings in leading a familiar onslaught.
It was a repeat of the carnage led by South Africa’s AB de Villiers when the two teams clashed in their Group B fixture in Sydney, when they blasted a weary West Indies attack in the last 25 overs.
Before that encounter, in their bilateral series prior to the World Cup in South Africa, the Caribbean side’s bowling wilted every time they fielded first in that 4-1 drubbing.
And if it seemed like a mirage in this World Cup, when Ireland successfully chase down 304 runs, to create the competition’s first upset, one should’ve not been surprised.
Stamina fitness has been the ‘Achilles Heel’ of West Indies players for a very long time and it is no different now Down Under. The attack is being taken advantage of because the bowlers always run out of gas, which allowed New Zealand to build the foundation for their victory.
An otherwise journeyman batsman before the World Cup without a retainer contract, Guptill, with his record innings, further tarnished West Indies’ image following the ODI batting world records inflicted on them by de Villiers at home last year.
Already compromised by poor technique, West Indies batsmen were easy targets for the efficient New Zealand bowlers as they thoughtlessly swiped their way to defeat, chasing the 393-run target.
Although well ahead of the corresponding New Zealand run rate from the get-go, almost everyone refused to exhibit balanced aggression in their approach and the team eventually crumbled from a plethora of cross batted slashes for a total barely exceeding Guptill’s innings.
Former captain and current chief selector, Clive Lloyd has stated that T20 competition is ruining West Indies cricket. His words came to mind as the West Indies batsmen took off in 20-overs mode, probably unnerved by scoreboard pressure created by New Zealand’s huge total.
Chris Gayle has tremendous power and bat speed and used his long reach to clobber a lightening 61 off 33 balls. But you cannot compile big innings without solid defence against good bowling. The former captain’s stand and deliver method carried him only carry so far as an edged a swing from a Kyle Milne in-swinger, rocketed onto his stumps. It was the beginning of the end at that point.
The others followed suit as despite being well ahead of their targeted run rate, the fours and sixes rained but the wickets tumbled just as quickly. One of the few players who followed the basic batting fundamentals of playing straight, Captain Jason Holder, almost posted his third straight half century, but his decision to remain batting at number nine was one of tactical shortcomings he exhibited, that didn’t help his team.
Holder’s sound footwork and adherence to playing in the “V”, makes him look accomplished among those higher in the batting lineup and, as a result, he should always be higher than Darren Sammy and Andre Russell, who employ the exact opposite approach.
Earlier in the encounter, Holder’s reluctance to fully utilize paceman Jerome Taylor, his best bowler for the 10-over allotment, was quite glaring.
Taylor ended with two of the six New Zealand wickets that fell, and if he was used more intelligently, the humiliation might have been lessened.
The young Barbadian was also reluctant to attack fully with his field placings and never used more than two slip fielders which resulted in an edge early on from Mc Cullum, flying through a vacant third slip.
That was before Marlon Samuels’ inattentiveness caused the biggest miss of the quarter finals when he put down a sharp, low catch offered by Guptill with the batsman on four.
Many catches of the type and even more difficult ones have been gobbled up by fitter players in the competition so far.
Such was the case three hours later when ironically, Samuels was caught after 36-year-old year old Daniel Vettori leapt five feet off the ground to snatch a magnificent one-hander on the third man boundary, from a slashed shot, bound for six. It was a lesson in the value of physically preparing to the hilt for competition.
At the time Samuels and Gayle, following Lendl Simmons’ effort had West Indies well ahead of New Zealand’s corresponding score.
But, despite being 71 runs in front of the opposition at the 25-over mark, West Indies perished mainly from unnecessary wild shots.
Holder’s woes began when he lost the toss following which New Zealand captain McCullum immediately decided to bat first. The Kiwi star could not have made a better start as bowling last in the day/night games so far in the competition, is a big advantage.
Fast bowlers, of which New Zealand used four, generate greater pace and swing in the moist night conditions as has been proven.
In Perth, West Indies had India on the ropes, chasing a meagre target, where the defending champions squeezed a close win.
And at Wellington, Trent Boult revelled with his four-wicket haul that broke the back of the West Indies’ reply.
Guptill had it easier earlier in the day when he demonstrated the value of playing straight, smashing boundaries at will, especially after completing his century.
He excelled on a lightning-fast outfield which the opener described as the quickest he had experienced at the Westpac Stadium, and, in the thin Wellington air, 5,200 feet above sea level, the ball travelled at rocket speed. It was no surprise that a World Cup match record 31 sixes were hit by the two teams.
Although, those facts were obvious to the West Indian batsmen they failed to efficiently cash in.
Hopefully with a new head coach appointed, West Indies’ flaws will be addressed and ultimately eliminated from here onwards.
Phil Simmons’ terms of reference are unknown to the public and it will make sense if he is given full control of team operations.
The former opening batsman should have a full complement of support staff of which he gets a major input in determining, including coaches for all departments.
Comprehensive physical training for players should be a must which has become second nature for the world’s successful teams today.
West Indies have been there before, at the game’s summit.
Fans deserve another coming of that prideful feeling. Only time will tell though.
