Kamlesh Barjati
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- 26 May 2011
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He may have hated to admit it, but West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said his side was behind in the second Test against India after four days. Gibson said it would take a special effort from the home team's bowlers, but also their batsmen in particular to earn a series-levelling victory against Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side.
Half-centuries from VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid steered India to 229 for three at the close on Friday at Kensington Oval, an overall lead of 240 entering the final day. "I thought we performed reasonably well again with the ball," said Gibson.
"It has been sort of the feature of the way we have performed recently. We have not batted very well, but we have always been able to bowl well, apply some pressure, and take some wickets. The pitch became much easier for batting, and they are 240 runs ahead, and they are 1-0 up. You may say that they do not need to go and chase the game, but we have to hope to bowl them out, see how soon we can bowl them out, and see if there is a possibility of a run chase. We need to be positive and see how best we can go about winning the Test match, so at this stage, we are still hopeful that we can bowl them out."
Gibson supported West Indies captain Darren Sammy's decision not to take the second new ball when it became available late in the day. He said that Sammy had done a fantastic job on the field again, not allowing India to get too far ahead.
"Every time we have taken the second new ball in this series, and the preceding Pakistan series with slightly tired bowlers, the opposition has been able to get away from us," he said.
"By not allowing them to get too far away from us, and they having to come back and bat again on the final day, means we can take some time out of the game, and if they need to score quickly, we can get a few wickets as well."
The choice of a four-man attack comprising Sammy, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has been the target of much criticism from West Indies fans.
Many believe that the hosts should have included fast bowler Kemar Roach to add ore firepower, but Gibson disagreed. "The guys are doing a great job for us," he said.
"It could have been worse. India got 216 runs in 85 overs [on Friday]. Look at the run rate. The four man bowling attack is doing a good job for us. It's funny people talking about we need another bowler, but no one is saying the batting only made 190. I believe the bowling attack is doing very well, but we need the batsmen to back them up."
He added: "We came from being a team that did not bowl teams out and lacked energy in the field to a team that is bowling teams out and our energy in the field is excellent. We are doing two out of three things well. We just need to focus on that one other thing that would make us into a half decent side."
Gibson noted that the great Australian sides of the last decade only played four bowlers, but the difference was that the batsmen runs, giving the bowlers time to rest. "Our batsmen are not making runs and giving our bowlers enough time to rest," he said.
"We have shown with the four bowlers that we can be a potent attack. We bowled Pakistan out and won a Test, and we bowled India out twice in the first Test, and we bowled them out for 201 in the first innings of this Test, so you would expect your batsmen to get the runs - and they didn't."
Gibson concluded that India still faced a major decision about how long they will bat, and with what target they would feel comfortable, especially if West Indies can continue to bowl well. "We chased about 300 in Jamaica, and even though we lost by 63 runs, at the start of the chase we were doing quite well," he said.
"We have to assume, and believe our batsmen have to come good at some point, and if there is a chase, maybe that will spur them on to do what we know they can all do."
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/newsdetails.php?newsId=16137_1309610820
Half-centuries from VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid steered India to 229 for three at the close on Friday at Kensington Oval, an overall lead of 240 entering the final day. "I thought we performed reasonably well again with the ball," said Gibson.
"It has been sort of the feature of the way we have performed recently. We have not batted very well, but we have always been able to bowl well, apply some pressure, and take some wickets. The pitch became much easier for batting, and they are 240 runs ahead, and they are 1-0 up. You may say that they do not need to go and chase the game, but we have to hope to bowl them out, see how soon we can bowl them out, and see if there is a possibility of a run chase. We need to be positive and see how best we can go about winning the Test match, so at this stage, we are still hopeful that we can bowl them out."
Gibson supported West Indies captain Darren Sammy's decision not to take the second new ball when it became available late in the day. He said that Sammy had done a fantastic job on the field again, not allowing India to get too far ahead.
"Every time we have taken the second new ball in this series, and the preceding Pakistan series with slightly tired bowlers, the opposition has been able to get away from us," he said.
"By not allowing them to get too far away from us, and they having to come back and bat again on the final day, means we can take some time out of the game, and if they need to score quickly, we can get a few wickets as well."
The choice of a four-man attack comprising Sammy, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has been the target of much criticism from West Indies fans.
Many believe that the hosts should have included fast bowler Kemar Roach to add ore firepower, but Gibson disagreed. "The guys are doing a great job for us," he said.
"It could have been worse. India got 216 runs in 85 overs [on Friday]. Look at the run rate. The four man bowling attack is doing a good job for us. It's funny people talking about we need another bowler, but no one is saying the batting only made 190. I believe the bowling attack is doing very well, but we need the batsmen to back them up."
He added: "We came from being a team that did not bowl teams out and lacked energy in the field to a team that is bowling teams out and our energy in the field is excellent. We are doing two out of three things well. We just need to focus on that one other thing that would make us into a half decent side."
Gibson noted that the great Australian sides of the last decade only played four bowlers, but the difference was that the batsmen runs, giving the bowlers time to rest. "Our batsmen are not making runs and giving our bowlers enough time to rest," he said.
"We have shown with the four bowlers that we can be a potent attack. We bowled Pakistan out and won a Test, and we bowled India out twice in the first Test, and we bowled them out for 201 in the first innings of this Test, so you would expect your batsmen to get the runs - and they didn't."
Gibson concluded that India still faced a major decision about how long they will bat, and with what target they would feel comfortable, especially if West Indies can continue to bowl well. "We chased about 300 in Jamaica, and even though we lost by 63 runs, at the start of the chase we were doing quite well," he said.
"We have to assume, and believe our batsmen have to come good at some point, and if there is a chase, maybe that will spur them on to do what we know they can all do."
http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/newsdetails.php?newsId=16137_1309610820
