Logie: Time for “big players” to step up

SYDNEY, Australia, (CMC):

Head coach Gus Logie has urged his seniors to lift their performances, as West Indies find themselves facing a tricky path to the semi-finals of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup.

The Caribbean side has taken two points from their opening two games and need to win their remaining fixtures against England and South Africa in order to guarantee their place in the final four for the sixth straight tournament.

West Indies beat minnows Thailand in their opener but then suffered a surprise defeat to Pakistan last Wednesday in Canberra, to create difficulty for themselves.

Logie, a member of the legendary West Indies men’s side of the 1980s, said it was now the responsibility of the “big players” to carry the team.

“Let’s hope we can pick ourselves up. I think we’ve done quite a bit of work over the last few weeks and many players have expressed how confident they are in their own ability to execute,” Logie said.

“It’s just one of those days (against Pakistan) we did not execute as we expected but we know we’re better than that.

“Our big players need to step up. We’ve seen it throughout the tournament – the big players are stepping up and making runs and taking wickets. We have enough quality players in our team to step up and do the business for us.”

Marquee opener Hayley Matthews has managed just 16 runs in two innings while veteran all-rounder Deandra Dottin has scraped scores of two and one, in her first outing since a year-long injury layoff.

Fast bowler Shamilia Connell has claimed a single wicket from six overs and veteran off-spinner Anisa Mohammed has failed to threaten, even though proving inexpensive.

Big test

West Indies’ biggest test will come on Sunday when they take on 2018 losing finalists, England, who lie second in Group B on four points.

Unbeaten group leaders South Africa, on four points, lie in wait on Tuesday, and Logie said self-belief would be key to any Windies success in these fixtures.

“We put this (Pakistan defeat) down to one of those bad days and we look forward to the next two games … and I’m hoping that the players continue to believe in themselves,” he stressed.

“This World Cup is not over, we have two important games. We win the next two and we should be in the semi-finals.”

Before last Wednesday, West Indies had only lost to Pakistan once in the T20s.

However, a lacklustre batting effort saw them muster only 124 for seven, a target which their opponents chased down with 10 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand.