Simmons giving spinners chance in first Test
Published:Tuesday | February 2, 2021 | 12:12 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer
West Indies head coach Phil Simmons hinted that he will be fielding two spinners in the line-up when the side faces Bangladesh in the first Test in Chattogram tonight.
With a slow low wicket expected at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall could etch his name on to the team sheet for his fourth Test match, having grabbed five wickets in the recently concluded three-day warm-up game against a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI.
The toss-up for the other place could come down to Barbadian left-armer Jomel Warrican, or his Guyanese counterpart Veerasammy Permaul. Warrican looks to have the edge, having picked up three wickets in the same warm-up game.
Simmons says he is hoping that whoever is chosen can do the business for the regional side, as they look for a positive result to start their new year of international Test cricket.
“The spinners are always going to have an impact, whichever two of the three main spinners who play,” Simmons said. “So it’s something that we are looking forward to seeing, how much of an impact and what type of wicket we get.”
Simmons says that he has not seen the wicket for the last five days; however, he is expecting one similar to that which they played on in the drawn three-day warm-up game.
USEFUL CONTRIBUTIONS
With the batting being the main concern for the visitors on recent away tours, Simmons says he is hoping the unit can show the similar application as they did a few days ago in the practice game, where some of the main batsmen scored half-centuries on a slow and low track.
The West Indies got useful contributions from captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 85 in the first innings, with his opening partner John Campbell also getting decent knocks of 44 and 68.
Jamaican Nkrumah Bonner top-scored in the second innings with 80, while wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva chipped in with 46, and Raymon Reifer getting an unbeaten 49.
“The most important sign from the tour match is the guys’ attitude towards trying to put in place the things that we have been working on,” Simmons said. “And to spend time at the crease and develop their understanding of the wickets here, which are slow and low.”
Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo says his team won’t be taking the West Indies lightly, despite their home dominance over the visitors in recent years.
“I definitely think this will be a closely contested event,” he said. “West Indies have some quality cricketers in their side. If we take them lightly, it will be at our own peril. They have some wonderful cricketers in the side.
“(Kraigg) Brathwaite has been a consistent performer for them. Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach are world-class bowlers. We are by no means complacent. We know that they are a formidable side under any condition. We will have to be on our A-game to compete and come out on the right side of the result against them.”
The game bowls off at 10:30 p.m. Jamaica time.