The West Indies cricket team covered themselves in ignominy during the recent tour of Sri Lanka where they lost the two test series by heavy margins.
There were few positives during the tour where the West Indies batsmen’s batting techniques against quality spin bowling were horribly exposed.
One of the few bright spots of the series however, was the bowling of left-arm orthodox spinner Guyana’s Veersammy Permaul, who bagged an eight wicket match haul in his only test.
What made Permaul’s performances even more was that it was his first test match in six years.
He had repeatedly dominated the regional scene being the top-wicket taker on occasions but nonetheless was continuously bypassed by the selection panel headed by Roger Harper.
After watching on the bench as the West Indies plunged to yet another embarrassing defeat in the first test, Permaul was belatedly and perhaps grudgingly given a recall.
He responded with a five wicket haul in the first innings as the West Indies bowlers enjoyed their best day of the series dismissing the Sri Lankans cheaply after a positive start.
He ended with a match haul of 8-141 from 53 overs including 5-35 from 13 overs in the Sri Lanka first innings..
“It was good to see Permaul coming back in after a couple of years and getting his first five-wicket haul, that was quite good, all the spinners put in a big effort,” West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said at the conclusion of the series.
“ Roston [Chase] getting a five-for, [Jomel] Warrican getting a four-f0r, the fast bowlers putting in the effort on obvious spin-friendly conditions, all the bowlers put in a good effort,” Brathwaite added.
But in the end, disappointing batting displays by the West Indies batsmen put paid to the bowlers performances and the hopes of the captain.
“I think batting-wise we let ourselves down, we just simply didn’t get big enough totals to cause any pressure on Sri Lanka,” said Brathwaite after the second test defeat.
The visitors had bundled out Sri Lanka for 204 in their first innings and established a 49-run lead but were unable to bowl out Sri Lanka in their second innings as they piled on 345 for nine before declaring.
In their second innings, the West Indies were bowled out for 132 after just 56.1 overs end the year with a 2-0 defeat.
“Really and truly it all boils down to having the discipline and doing it for long periods. I don’t think it would change whether it is spin-friendly conditions, the Caribbean or wherever you play but I think it is to have that discipline throughout, for longer periods,” said Brathwaite.
“We’ve been showing we could do it but we just not doing it for long enough,” he added.
He credited the efforts of Nkrumah Bonner and Josh Da Silva with the bat but some of their other batsmen failed to come to the party.
Brathwaite is eager for the restart of the regional first-class season next year.
He said, “We’ve got some first-class games potentially in February which is good, some guys will get three four-day games to spend time in the middle.”
Spending time in the middle just might be Brathwaite’s wish for his batsmen in the new year.
