Sammy warns of West Indies shake-up

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC):

DESCRIBING THE West Indies’ batting effort as “not good enough”, West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has suggested that there might be some changes to the batting line-up for the third and final Test match against Australia in Jamaica.

West Indies’ batters were bundled out by the visitors yet again, this time for 143 in two and a half hours, as they went down by 133 runs in the second Test at the National Cricket Stadium on Sunday to give Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Across the four innings, Brandon King has been the only West Indies batsman to score a half-century, with openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell, along with number-three Keacy Carty struggling against Australia’s pace attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

Brathwaite is averaging 3.75; Carty, 14; and Campbell, 17.50.

Fast-bowler Shamar Joseph, who bats at number nine, has scored 105 runs in the series at an average of 26.25, second behind only King, who has 115 runs at an average of 28.75.

During a post-match press conference following the defeat, Sammy was asked whether he had other top-order batters who he could turn to for the final Test, which begins in Jamaica on Saturday.

“We do have a couple more options, obviously. For both sides it has been really challenging with the top order, more challenging for us because they find a way in the middle order to score runs and get that 250 plus, but we’ve not found that.

“Our lower order, eight, nine, 10, have been really good and we have seen glimpses of what we can do as a team,” Sammy said.

“Definitely, we will have a look at that and see the guys that are in the squad and how fair it is to move on as quickly as three Test matches.”

Speaking specifically to Brathwaite, who is coming off his 100th Test match and has scored a paltry 15 runs in four innings, Sammy said a decision would be made on if he would keep his place in the team.

“All options are on the table. Obviously, Kraigg just played his 100th Test match, [but] he hasn’t looked good this series, and in a team where you’re searching for performances, you get very close to say, ok, do we give somebody else a chance.

“But we will really have a good discussion, myself, the selection group and the captain, about that particular situation,” Sammy said.