PORT-OF-SPAIN – Stand-in captain Kieron Pollard has pointed to shortcomings in West Indies’ batting after slumping to two successive defeats that prevented them from advancing to the final of the tri-nation Celkon Mobile Cup.
After losing by 39 runs to Sri Lanka on Monday – a defeat that followed a 102-loss against India at the Queen’s Park Oval on Friday, West Indies’ hopes of reaching the final hinged on the result of the last preliminary match yesterday.
India’s big win over Sri Lanka relegated West Indies to the bottom of the standings and left them reflecting on the problems their batsmen faced.
“We as batsmen have to come up and take responsibility,” Pollard said.
“But having said that, when you look at the way we bowled and the way we had Sri Lanka, it was very disappointing with them getting to 219.”
West Indies’ pacers gave them the advantage as Sri Lanka were reeling on 60 for three after play was rained out on Sunday after 19 overs.
But the following day when the match continued veteran Kumar Sangakarra slammed an unbeaten 90 off 95 balls that turned the game in Sri Lanka’s favour.
“We have to regroup. If we are to be totally honest with ourselves we have not really batted well as a batting unit. Chasing scores we have lost wickets unnecessarily,” Pollard said.
“Players, including myself, are making the same mistakes over and over and it’s about time that we actually have a look at ourselves now because we were in a position where all we had to do was come to Trinidad and win one game”.
The West Indies run chase was interrupted by rain and crippled by a four-wicket haul from Angelo Matthews.
They seemed to have already lost steam at 31 for four after Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles and Marlon Samuels all succumbed to short deliveries early in their innings.
“We gave away our wickets at significant points in time so we can’t blame anybody but ourselves,” said Pollard who was dismissed for a four-ball duck.
“We can’t really sit down here and blame any particular individual. We play as a team, we win as a team, we lost as a team. It was a total disappointment in all areas of our cricket”. (CMC/HG)
