Follow UsWest Indies have bowled Australia out in three straight innings and in two of those, the score of the Australian team did not even touch 300. It's rare in Tests, especially in conditions favouring pace bowlers and not spin. This has made the head coach of the host side, Daren Sammy, really proud and confident of his bowling attack to come good against any opposition.
“We have played three innings against the No.1 team in the world, and we've got 30 wickets, probably 37 if you count all the dropped catches. I look at it like the homework we've done, and our bowlers keep challenging the top-order,” Sammy was quoted as saying by IANS at the end of the first day’s play in the second Test against Australia at St George’s, Grenada on July 3 (Thursday).
Praising new bowling coach Ravi Rampaul for building a different bowling culture, Sammy said, “Ravi Rampaul ever since he has come in — the culture we tried to change — and it's more importantly the way the bowlers are buying into it, and we could see the results out there.”
“So many times you would have a declaration in the first innings against our attack. The bowlers have done their homework and when they put the ball in the right areas, it's not just Australia — they would have worried any batting top-order (in the world),” added the 41-year-old after Australia were bowled out for 286 in their first innings.
Sammy was also quick to suggest that in this innings too his team, let Australia comeback with a 112-run stand between Alex Carey and Beau Webster, both of whom scored half-centuries.
“If you start the day with the opposition winning the toss and batting, and you restrict them to 280 you will take that. They had patches after lunch where we let them get away with it, but I think the session after that, when we got five wickets, kind of made up for it,” he said.
Aussie all-rounder Webster, on the other hand, was happy with his team at 286, saying their fast bowlers could also rattle the West Indies.
“The wicket is still offering enough, definitely with the new ball it looked like it swung around quite a bit that morning session, so hopefully we will take advantage of that,” Webster said.
“I would have liked to put a three in front (of Australia’s score) no doubt, but 286 I think is a relatively good day,” he added.