Assistant coach of the West Indies Test side, Roddy Estwick has anticipated the plans of Sri Lanka in the first Test and has called on his players to show grit and purpose.
Estwick spoke on the eve of the match yesterday.
“They are going to try to and drag out the game as long as possible and try to go out at the back end in the last two days that the ball spins and that’s going to be their game plan. You know how Mickey Arthur as a coach operates, he is going to make the field as big as possible and give us a diet of spin and press the top to go out and be reckless.”
According to the Bajan coach, despite the lack of a warm-up match due to heavy rain, the team has adapted well to the conditions and was able to make the best of their preparations with some indoor training and a few hours outside.
Estwick said that the guys have been performing well and have worked hard since their camp began in the Caribbean.
“Trying to get the players mentally strong because here in Sri Lanka we know it’s going to be a lot of spin, it’s going to be a very slow-paced game.
“We’ve got to stay in the game plan as long as possible, it’s all about attitude, it’s all about discipline, when you get in try and go big, the bowlers to try and stay patient and the fast bowlers to be aggressive in short bursts.”
He said that most of the players have the right attitude and discipline but will now need to apply themselves.
Estwick pointed out that Sri Lanka could be ripe for the picking with the absence of several key players including Niroshan Dickwella but was wary of the returning former skipper, Angelo Mathews.
“It’s a young Sri Lanka team, they’ve lost one or two of their senior players, Dickwella who batted well in the Caribbean is not here, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have up and coming young players.
We have to be disciplined, don’t give them too many bad balls… when we’re batting, put price on our wickets,” he said.
Estwick was adamant that there was need to show some improvement.
“We’ll try to improve on our three wins, three losses and two draws. If we can come away with a series win that seals a good year of Test cricket. It’s all about improvement, you can’t expect too much too quickly and once we improve that’s acceptable.”
Both Test matches will be played at the Galle International Stadium. The Tests will run from November 21 to 25 and November 29 to December 3.
The series is the second of six series, three at home and three away, that West Indies will play in the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship.
Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood (Vice-Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jeremy Solozano, and Jomel Warrican.
