Sammy chides slow-starting WI

BIRMINGHAM, England (CMC):

FOLLOWING THURSDAY’S 238-run thrashing at the hands of England in the opening One-Day International, West Indies head coach Daren Sammy says the team’s lethargic start while on tour is a cause for concern.

The defeat, the West Indies’ second largest in ODIs while batting second, came on the heels of the regional team’s 124-run loss to Ireland in their ODI series opener just over a week ago.

Speaking in a post-match press conference, Sammy said it was an issue that needed to be addressed urgently.

“We were really outplayed today by a team that is also searching for a new identity, but that display was just not good enough.

“We’ve played a better brand of cricket over the last 15 to 18 months, and here we just find ourselves finding it hard to start away from home, which is something we have to rectify,” Sammy said.

Sammy said while the West Indies’ performance was forgettable, it was especially disheartening to see that his troops did not follow the game plan.

Furthermore, he said the team looked out of sorts in all departments.

“It’s good when batsmen play out of their skin, but when you know you have a plan and you haven’t really given it a chance to work, that’s the most annoying thing.

“Today, our bowlers weren’t disciplined enough. We saw how England came out and stuck to a simple plan. It’s a wicket that requires you to be straight and use the square boundaries from a straight line. They showed us how it’s done,” Sammy said.

“Our skills were not on par in any of the power plays and we were chasing the game from early. I mean, 90 runs from the first 10 [overs], you will always find yourself on the defensive and we were playing catchup from then.

“And when you have set batters on a really good track, it’s always hard to contain them. But again, execution, field placement, just knowing what skill is required and believing in your execution. We were all over the place today,” he added.

Despite the heavy loss, Sammy said he still believed the West Indies had the ability to bounce back in tomorrow’s second ODI in Cardiff and level the three-match series.

However, he said, they would have to be at their best against an England side they defeated in their last ODI series in 2024.

“We know we are a team that has been improving, and we never let one performance deter us from the things we want to do.

“Before the game started, we were only three points behind England, but today they played a brilliant game and we still have the calibre of players that can come out and win. But it takes a process, which is assessing what the conditions bring, deciding what is required, and then you back yourself in the delivery,” Sammy said.

“We’ve not ticked those boxes and, until we do, we will find ourselves chasing the eight ball.”