On the heels of a win in the first Test against Bangladesh, West Indies head coach Phil Simmons broke it down to the team backing its ability to what made the win possible.
Simmons was speaking to the media via Zoom yesterday where he noted, “I think that’s the biggest take away from this that in the times of challenges during their innings they trusted their ability and fought through it and as the word they using these days there was a grind, we had to grind through it and we did it.”
The head coach gave a few examples of the work required by the likes of Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua Da Silva to steer the team out of difficult situations and in the end made the difference.
“I think the main thing is trust in our ability because I think once we’ve done that in this Test match and I would highlight the partnership in the first inning between Blackwood and Da Silva where there was a lot of pressure put on it and they trusted themselves and came out of it and in the second inning there was a lot of pressure for Mayers and Bonner for a period there where they had to trust their ability and believe in themselves,” he stated.
Simmons made special mention of the 210 not out made on debut by Mayers and labeled the feat “special.”
He expressed, “It was an amazing feat and for him to have the temperament, it’s alright to do it in the first innings when you’re just batting but to have the temperament to taking us to winning the game I think it made it extra special and I think it was an extra special innings by him.”
Nevertheless, the head coach underscored the importance of the double century stand between Mayers and Bonner that shifted West Indies into a winning position despite Bonner falling 14 runs short of his ton.
“I think his innings was a special innings too, I am disappointed he didn’t get a 100, I think the way he batted he deserved a 100 but I am sure that will come if he continues to play the way he plays there. The partnership is what matters, Kyle may have scored 200 but Bonner’s partnership with him was what set up things, the fact that we didn’t lose a wicket in the morning and one in the second session gave us that push to make sure we had the ability and we were the only team that could win the game,” Simmons highlighted.
