Windies A coach hails fighting spirit of charges
GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) — West Indies A head coach Hendy Springer has lauded his side’s fighting spirit and maturity as it prepared to take on India A in the third and decisive four-day ‘Test’ at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium here today.
The hosts came within a whisker of winning the opening ‘Test’ in Barbados before being undone by a brilliant innings by captain Cheteshwar Pujara, before rebounding to crush the visitors by 125 runs in the second fixture in St Vincent earlier this week.
Over the next few days, they will go in search of another victory that would secure them the series and Springer said he was impressed with the attitude of his charges.
“I am seeing improvement. I am seeing commitment. I am seeing hard work. We have a group of young men who want to do well, who are enjoying their cricket and who are giving their all. Everyone understands what is required. This positive approach, the belief in each other, is paying off,” Springer said.
West Indies A’s performance at Arnos Vale was especially convincingly after their batsmen twice failed to put pressure on the Indians.
Set 220 for victory, India finished the third day tottering on 57 for four before being cleaned up in just over an hour on the final morning, losing their last six wickets for just 37 runs.
They were undermined by left-arm speedster Delorn Johnson who claimed six for 34 to finish with an eight-wicket match haul while captain Veersasammy Permaul finished with a nine-wicket haul.
Despite the low scores, Springer also praised the batting after Windies A battled back from near collapse at 81 for five in the second innings to post 204, with Donovan Pagon and Jonathan Carter getting half-centuries.
“I was very happy with the fight-back and resilience we demonstrated when we went over to St Vincent. The scores weren’t high but our batsmen battled hard and stuck it out in both innings.”
West Indies A have been strengthened by the inclusion of the Test duo of Kieran Powell and Assad Fudadin who returned from the tour of England earlier this week.
