Simmons wants consistent cricket

West Indies head coach Phil Simmons is calling for consistency and understanding of situations when they face New Zealand in Twenty20 (T20) and Test matches, starting this month.

Simmons and the rest of the West Indies contingent are acclimatising to their second base in Queenstown, New Zealand, where the team met the district major of Queenstown, Jim Boult.

With the three-day warm-up game against New Zealand ‘A’ set to start on Thursday, Simmons is hoping that his batting unit can put what they practised in game scenarios in place with regard to playing situational cricket. He is also hoping the bowling unit will remain consistent throughout.

“We have had situations where we have been in control of games and people give away their wickets. Things like that are the main things we are concentrating on now,” he said.

With all the players clearing their third COVID-19 test before the full squad assembles, Simmons described the mood in the camp as being upbeat ahead of the warm-up games and the Twenty20 and Test series.

“It’s been great,” he said. “Everybody is looking to do what is necessary and working hard, and looking to make sure that they are doing everything for the team right now, and that’s been great.”

The West Indian players who were a part of the Indian Premier League will come out of their quarantine period just one day before the start of the T20 series. However, Simmons is allaying fears that those players will be underprepared against the number-six ranked New Zealanders.

New Zealand have included two new faces in their T20 squad to face the West Indies in the three-match series, starting on November 27.

Batsman Devon Conway and fast bowler Kyle Jamieson are the two newcomers in the Tim Southee-led side, which will also feature Jamaica Tallawahs wicketkeeper-batsman Glenn Phillips.