Former West Indies all-rounder Ian Bradshaw has warned the Caribbean side their batting has to be more clinical if they are to successfully defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in India later this year.
The 46-year-old said while West Indies defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in the just concluded series in Antigua, the home side lacked conviction in their batting and were also guilty of irresponsible stroke-play which needlessly put the innings under pressure.
Bradshaw also urged West Indies management to be “brutally honest” with the squad in order to lift the level of performances.
“I’m disappointed by the manner of our victories,” said Bradshaw, who featured in five Tests and 62 One-Day Internationals.
“Yes we won, but the result could’ve easily been 3-0 to Sri Lanka and as we build towards the World Cup, our performances will have to be far more clinical.
“Like so many series with West Indies cricket, we go into it and believe that our bowling is the weak link of the two and when it comes out, it’s our batting that struggles and this has been the case in all three formats.”
He continued: “If you look at Test cricket, whenever we’ve scored 500 runs over two innings, we’ve won and history will show that. When we get over 300 runs in a One-Day International, we’re very competitive.
“I’m sure that Coach [Phil] Simmons and maybe chief selector [Roger] Harper will have to be brutally honest with the guys. Experienced or inexperienced, when you reach this level, your match awareness has to be a lot better.”
West Indies produced a haphazard run chase to overhaul 132 and win the first game by four wickets before crumbling for 117 in pursuit of 161 to lose the second by 43 runs.
The third was another nervy contest, with West Indies eclipsing a modest target of 132 to win by three wickets with an over to spare.
In all three matches, West Indies batsmen appeared lost against Sri Lanka’s spinners and none managed a half-century in the series or finished with an aggregate in excess of 100 runs.
Lendl Simmons topped the scoring with 73 runs while his opening partner Evin Lewis finished with 55 runs and left-hander Nicholas Pooran, 31 runs.
Source-CMC
