Dear Editor,
We can qualify for the World Cup if we put a great deal of thought into our approach. We are the most experienced team with probably the most skilled players. We must replace the injured Cotterell with Cummings. For the next match we should play Bishoo in place of Carlos Brathwaite, and let Fletcher replace Hope, with unambiguous instructions that the purpose of the change is to dramatically improve the scoring rate in the middle order. We must tell Samuels that he will be more valuable to the team if his strike rate for the first twenty-five deliveries he receives is closer to 100% than to 25% even if, as may well be the case he gets out early. We must explain to him that a batsman in one-day cricket is much more valuable if he takes risks with good deliveries in order to enhance his strike rate. We must explain to all the batsmen that footwork is critical in that format, both for the purpose of scoring, and for the purpose of not losing your wicket without a fight. A batsman`s mindset has to be quite different in limited overs cricket than it is in unlimited overs cricket.
Batsmen must be always conscious of the time and their strike rate in limited overs cricket, and finally fielding is as important as batting and bowling. That is why players like Pollard, Russell, Dwayne Bravo and Sammy are so valuable.
Yours faithfully,
Romain Pitt
