Windies Coach says tomorrow will be start of WC preparations - Only those who want to play will be considered

Windies Coach says tomorrow will be start of WC preparations – Only those who want to play will be considered

Jul 21, 2018 Sports

Windies Head Coach Stuart Law

By Sean Devers
Windies Head Coach, 49- year-old Australian Stuart Law, says with 16 ODIs to go until the start of the Next Year’s World Cup in England and Wales, tomorrow’s first ODI of the three-match Series against Bangladesh at Providence is the start of the World Cup preparations.
Law, who played his only Test in 1995 against Sri Lanka, said that after bowling well in Trinidad in the Test against Sri Lanka, Guyanese leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo was not used much when he played because the conditions more suited the pacers who took the bulk of wickets.
Law feels that most Asian teams play spin well and their fast men bowled them to victory in three days in the last Test against Bangladesh to give Windies their first series win in four years provided their players with extra rest.
Law was appointed Windies Head Coach last year for a two-year period and was Head coach for Sri Lanka in 2011 and Bangladesh from 2011-12. He said he expects Bangladesh to put up a better showing in the ODIs.
Law said that no series are easy as we saw in the World Cup Qualifiers. This series is important and the players know the scenario.
“We have to start winning series as we gain momentum for the World Cup. Our strength is our firepower. We play explosive cricket once we can be consistent in all areas we should win matches.”
Law confirmed that Marlon Samuels was rested due to injury and disclosed that he was still a part of the Windies World Cup plans. He however emphasized that only those players who want to will be considered for selection moving forward.

Curators Wasim Habib and Kent Crafton with the match officials for tomorrow’s ODI at Providence look at the match pitch yesterday. (Sean Devers photo)

The Head Coach, who replaced the sacked former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons as Coach, said Guyana’s Shimron Hetymer waited for his chance and made use of it as he batted very well in Jamaica. Law said the left-handed Hetmyer was a special talent, but needs understand his role.
He was also high in praise for 19-year-old Guyanese Kemo Paul who bowled well on his Test debut, and says that while the batting is still a concern he feels the team is heading down the right track.
The Aussie who played 54 ODIs expects the pitches here will be low and slow but both CWI’s Head Curator St Lucian Kent Crafton and local Curator Wasim Habib says some grass would be left on the pitch which they informed will have good bounce and be good to bat on.
Law informed that Chris Gayle, Andre Russell and Rovman Powell, who stayed back to play in UWI game in Jamaica, were expected to arrive in Guyana yesterday afternoon, while Bangladesh were expected here last evening.