Familiarity with conditions a bonus: Holder

By Stabroek News On In Sports |
(CMC) – Fast bowlers Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph are returning home early from West Indies’ failed World Cup qualifying campaign, to prepare for the Test series against India beginning next week in Dominica. The duo were part of the Shai Hope-led side which won the first two qualifying matches in Zimbabwe but then lost the next three, to miss out on the grand showpiece in India later this year. Two matches – against Oman and Sri Lanka – still remain in the tournament but chief selector Desmond Haynes, said it was important to have the two players back especially since both are expected to feature in all three formats against India. “Jason and Alzarri are two of our leading bowlers in all formats,” said Haynes. “We have a full schedule for the upcoming series against India, where we begin the new ICC World Test Championship, then followed by the CG United ODIs and the five T20Is. “Therefore, we had dialogue, and it was felt the best move at this time is to have two of our leading bowlers return early from Zimbabwe.” Joseph has been the leading wicket-taker for West Indies in the tournament with eight wickets at 32 runs apiece while Holder picked up six at 35 apiece, while averaging 36 with the bat and hitting a single fifty. Both are expected to feature in the two-Test series against India which gets underway July 12 at Windsor Park, and continues at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain starting July 20. West Indies also face India in three One-Day Internationals from July 27 to August 1, before clashing in five Twenty20 Internationals from August 3-13. A West Indies training squad has been undergoing a preparation camp for the Test series since last Friday at Coolidge Cricket Ground here.
(CMC) – Fast bowlers Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph are returning home early from West Indies’ failed World Cup qualifying campaign, to prepare for the Test series against India beginning next week in Dominica. The duo were part of the Shai Hope-led side which won the first two qualifying matches in Zimbabwe but then lost the next three, to miss out on the grand showpiece in India later this year. Two matches – against Oman and Sri Lanka – still remain in the tournament but chief selector Desmond Haynes, said it was important to have the two players back especially since both are expected to feature in all three formats against India. “Jason and Alzarri are two of our leading bowlers in all formats,” said Haynes. “We have a full schedule for the upcoming series against India, where we begin the new ICC World Test Championship, then followed by the CG United ODIs and the five T20Is. “Therefore, we had dialogue, and it was felt the best move at this time is to have two of our leading bowlers return early from Zimbabwe.” Joseph has been the leading wicket-taker for West Indies in the tournament with eight wickets at 32 runs apiece while Holder picked up six at 35 apiece, while averaging 36 with the bat and hitting a single fifty. Both are expected to feature in the two-Test series against India which gets underway July 12 at Windsor Park, and continues at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain starting July 20. West Indies also face India in three One-Day Internationals from July 27 to August 1, before clashing in five Twenty20 Internationals from August 3-13. A West Indies training squad has been undergoing a preparation camp for the Test series since last Friday at Coolidge Cricket Ground here.

HARARE, Zimbabwe, CMC – Seasoned all-rounder Jason Holder believes familiarity with conditions here will be critical to navigating the ICC World Cup Qualifiers which bowled off here yesterday.

West Indies opened their campaign with a comfortable 39-run victory over United States, but were forced to rally following a stumbling start in bowler friendly conditions at the Takashinga Sports Club, recovering from 14 for two in the sixth over to reach 297 all out in the final over.

“It’s tough. Obviously there’s a lot of moisture in the wicket early up. I think if you’re batting first, you just need to be a little more watchful,” said Holder, who was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his counter-attacking 40-ball 56 at number eight.

“There’s a bit of spongy bounce in it (pitch) and there’s obviously a bit of seam movement as well. 

“So I think if you’re batting first you just have to be a little more circumspect and give yourself a really good chance and bat deep.”

West Indies were tottering on 192 for six at the end of the 36th over before Holder arrived to reinvigorate the innings in a 74-run, seventh wicket partnership with Roston Chase who stroked a run-a-ball 55. Veteran Johnson Charles (66) and captain Shai Hope (54) had earlier put on 115 for the third wicket to stabilise the innings, after the Caribbean side was asked to bat.

Holder was here five years ago for the 2019 World Cup qualifiers as captain when West Indies, along with Afghanistan, secured the two available spots at the English showpiece. And the 31-year-old said the major takeaway from the last qualifying tournament in the African nation was the knowledge of conditions. “It’s good to be familiar with the conditions. I think that’s the only thing I can really take,” said Holder. “I think the last World Cup qualifiers are gone. It was good back then but I think the most important thing to understand is the conditions we’re playing in.  “I’ve played here before, I’ve played at Harare Sports Club, played in Bulawayo and I think I’ve got that experience to know how these conditions play so I think that’s the most important thing I can take from the last tournament into this one.”

Installed in Group A alongside hosts Zimbabwe, Nepal and the Netherlands, West Indies are expected to easily clinch one of the two available spots but Holder said it was important the Caribbean side remained focussed.

“At the end of the day, the thing is for us to stay focussed on what we need to do. We have come here to qualify and that’s what we’ve come to do,” Holder said.