DHAKA – West Indies coach Ottis Gibson has appealed for responsible innings from his top order batsmen, in particular, when they play Bangladesh today in the crucial third of five One-day Internationals (ODIs).
West Indies trail 2-0 in the five-match series, and Gibson said hosts Bangladesh had things too easy in the first two matches.
“We have to make one more run than them, so it means that our batsmen have to be a little bit more determined than they have been, be a little bit more conscientious about the way they build their innings, and executing their roles for the team,” Gibson said.
“I think it comes down now to people looking at themselves because we haven’t become a bad side overnight and, from my perspective as coach, it’s not all gloom and doom either.”
Gibson has lamented the fact that his top order has not laid any foundations for significant totals in the first two games as they did in the previous ODI series against New Zealand, which Windies won convincingly.
He is hoping the West Indies could make improvements in game three, which was due to begin early this morning Barbados time.
“We have gifted our wickets but if we pay a little bit more attention and are a little bit more ‘street-wise’, especially against their spinners, and put a significant total on the board, I back our bowlers to defend it,” Gibson said.
The West Indies training session scheduled yesterday at the National Cricket Academy Ground in Mirpur was cancelled after team management was informed of a likely general strike in the Bangladesh capital.
Gibson said the players had been anxious to get back into the nets and try to put right some of the things they had discussed into practice.
“We did not have that opportunity, so we may arrive at the venue a little earlier, so that the players can get into the nets and get some work done before the match,” Gibson said.
“But some of the players have been in Bangladesh for a long time. It’s been a long tour for the players that were involved in the Test series, so sometimes a rest is as good as getting back into the nets.”
On the eve of the match, the players were restricted to gym sessions at the team hotel with strength and conditioning coach Hector Martinez and strategic planning meetings in between periods of recovery. (CMC)
