THE BARBADOS batsmen have received a bashing.
The dressing-down came from team coach Emmerson Trotman at the Grantley Adams International Airport
on Monday night after the team returned home from Jamaica.
Barbados shared the title in the WICB Regional 50-Over Championship following an historic tie against the Leeward Islands in last Sunday’s final at Sabina Park when they crashed to 139 all out, chasing a modest 140-run victory target.
While acknowledging that everything went according to plan in the bowling department, Trotman admitted
the batsmen were too anxious and nervous.
“Unfortunately, up to yesterday’s [Sunday] game, the boys had been playing very well.
“They bowled first. They did what they had to do. They followed the game plan and did well, but in the batting session, they just decided to press the panic button from ball one,” Trotman told NATIONSPORT.
He said the intention was to emerge as sole winners of the trophy, instead of having to share the first prize money.
“That’s the whole idea, to win it alone. Not being arrogant or whatever, but we were a much stronger side than the Leeward Islands and there is no reason why we shouldn’t win it on our own,”
he said.
“We just had to apply ourselves, we had to be smart, we had to be disciplined and we lacked those three things in the last batting session for no reason at all,” Trotman lamented.
The former Netherlands coach and Barbados batsman said he was at a loss as to why the batsmen got cold feet.
“I’m just trying to figure out what really went wrong in the minds of the players. We just had to be disciplined and they lacked that big time in the final session,” he said.
“I instructed the guys to ‘get out there, don’t be nervous, there is no need to panic, there are plenty of overs to go, bat normal but sensible, use your batting skills and just bring the trophy home’ but they just seemed to do completely opposite.”
Despite that final hiccup, Trotman praised the players for winning their sixth regional one-day title and first under his guidance.
“Obviously, I’m happy and a little bit sad but I guess you’ve got to take it as it comes, really, in principle.
“The boys played well throughout the tournament. They have been a very tight unit. They worked hard and they have been a very fit side as well. I think it is . . . the fitness that contributed greatly to their success as well,” Trotman noted.
Trotman, who represented South African side Border and hit nine centuries in 76 first-class matches while averaging 37.77 as a batsman, also pointed out there were many positives for the team.
“I thought that Jonathan Carter looked really strong as a batsman. Kirk Edwards did the job as usual. He’s a very solid man you can rely on. Tino Best came back from overseas and he bowled extremely well and fast.
“Another positive sign was that the captain [Ryan Hinds] led the team well. He batted well until the last game, and Carlo Morris, I was very happy to see that he maintained his fitness throughout the whole tour and he kept extremely well,” Trotman remarked.
“For the rest, I thought Javon Searles showed some good signs and he came on strong as the tournament went on and then you had young Kraigg Brathwaite on tour learning all the time.
“He did not play all the games but it was a learning process for him to see how he handles the situation around the senior players as he’s got a long future ahead of him.”
After a 150-minute delay at the Norman Manley Airport in Jamaica, the players and team management were met on arrival by Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) board members Deighton Smith, Roland Butcher, Wendell Kellman and chief executive officer Dr Roland Toppin.
BCA president Joel Garner and first vice-president Conde Riley were both in Jamaica for the championship.