West Indies all-rounder, Jason Holder is keen to see his side take a lead in the five-match series against England today in Barbados.
The hosts are currently tied on one win a piece with the visitors following England’s narrow, last ball, one-run win last Sunday.
“I’m just focused on what’s ahead tomorrow [today], it’s our next encounter, no point looking at the last two games before we get to the one tomorrow [today] we have just got to keep challenging ourselves to play complete games,” Holder told a press conference yesterday.
Holder is of the opinion that the fielding was what had let them down in the second match but is hopeful for consistent performances.
“To be honest I don’t think we were good enough in the field in the last encounter and that probably hurt us at the end of the game and I think if we build up a lot more clinical and consistent, we can make our lives a lot easier with the bat,” he reasoned.
The former captain said that the challenge for the team was to be more consistent.
“The challenge out there for each and every individual to breathe consistency…I think consistency is something we’ve spoken about for years and I just think it is time we start heading in the right direction and progressing, we just want to see some progression and development consistently.”
Holder’s vocal presence on the field could not be gone unnoticed and he revealed that he is always willing to help the “relatively inexperienced group.”
He stated, “I just try to give anything I could give to the team which would benefit us, we obviously have a pretty young team and is a relatively inexperienced group… so I just try to help out as much as I can and give any little advice I could give and I don’t think it is a situation where I need to give too much information because at times it becomes too clouded for individuals, I just try to keep it as simple as possible, anything I could pick up I just try to pass it down to the captain and players.”
West Indies will need to get their top order firing on all cylinders and should have a boost in confidence on the heels of the spectacular batting display from Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hosein who almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
The spotlight will be on the openers as well as Nicholas Pooran and Darren Bravo who have not yet come to the fore in recent times.
Meanwhile, over in the England camp, Shepherd and Hosein may have them rethinking the death bowling plan as the pair smashed 59 runs from the final three overs including 28 runs from Saqib Mahmood’s final over.
This could see him being replaced by Tymal Mills for this match
Nevertheless, England’s batting looks to have bounced back from their horrid first match where they were bowled out for 103. Now, their batting seems settled with Jason Roy causing the most headaches for West Indies.
West Indies will again have their hands full with spinners, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali leading the charge as well as a possible return for Liam Livingstone.
