Holder wants players to focus on cricket despite changes
ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Captain Jason Holder has urged his troops to adjust quickly to the new high profile appointments by the West Indies Cricket Board, so they can settle down and focus on their jobs on the field.
In January, Englishman Johnny Grave replaced the outgoing Michael Muirhead as chief executive officer while former Test captain, Jamaican Jimmy Adams, was named director of cricket, following Richard Pybus’s decision to step down.
And last month, Australian Stuart Law was appointed head coach, filling the role left vacant last September by the abrupt firing of Trinidadian Phil Simmons.
“It feels as if it’s a clean slate. We’ve got quite a few changes in our administrative part and it’s just a situation for us as players to adapt to it – get accustomed to the new coach, the new director of cricket and obviously the new CEO,” Holder told reporters here Friday.
“But it’s important just for us to deal with cricket, that’s the only thing we can control. I think once we look at cricket and deal with cricket [things will work out] – that’s inevitably our field.”
West Indies are preparing to face England in a three-match one-day series starting at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium here Friday.
The regional side will be hoping to turn around their slumping fortunes which saw them swept 3-0 by Pakistan in a similar series last October and then win one of just four games in the Tri-Nations Series in Zimbabwe last November.
Holder has now led West Indies in 28 of his 49 ODIs, losing 19 and winning eight games, but brushed aside suggestions he was under any pressure, contending instead he was enjoying the challenge of leadership.
“It’s been interesting. One thing I can say is I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been tough, obviously there have been some tough phases but I’m enjoying it,” the 24-year-old said.
“If I didn’t enjoy it, I probably wouldn’t be doing it and I feel as if I’m the right person to be doing it. I’ve been supported well by my teammates and I think once we continue to be consistent as a side, it will make my job a lot easier.”
