West Indies need to play spin better: Phil Simmons
Jan 26, 2021
Chattogram [Bangladesh], January 26 : West Indies head coach Phil Simmons feels the boys need to improve their game against spin bowling in the white-ball format ahead of the Sri Lanka tour.
Bangladesh displayed a spirited all-round game to defeat West Indies by 120 runs in the third ODI of the three-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday.
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and spinner Mehidy Hasan picked 13 of the 30 wickets that West Indies lost in the three-match ODI series. Simmons also wants his side to show character and determination when they play the game of cricket.
"[I learned] that we need to play spin better. We need to be able to rotate strike and score boundaries in Bangladesh a lot better. There's work to be done," ESPNcricinfo quoted Simmons as saying.
"Every time you have low scores, there is not enough character, heart, determination shown. It is all about putting everything out there and making sure things happen the way you want them to happen, and that's not been done," he added.
It was a tough series for West Indies, the highest total they made in the 50-over format was 177 in the third ODI. Simmons feels West Indies have to improve in every department and pointed out on the dearth of runs the side is going through.
"We need to improve on everything, in every area, after losing three games. Especially the runs that we put on the board. That's something we have to work on from now, till our next series which is in March (against Sri Lanka)," said Simmons.
The 3-0 result at home has lifted Bangladesh to the second position in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League points table as they are on 30 points along with England but ahead on net run-rate.
Australia, who are one of only two sides to play two series so far with the other being England, lead with 40 points in the Super League, which was introduced last year to add context to ODI cricket.
