Griffith sets higher standards for CWI Academy side

COOLIDGE, Antigua (CMC):

Head coach Rayon Griffith says he was looking forward to consistency and further improvements from the Cricket West Indies Academy side when they start their two-match, first-class series against Emerging Ireland.

The first in the pair of first-class matches start on Saturday at the new headquarters of West Indies cricket, Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) on the outskirts of the Antigua capital of St John’s, and Griffith said he wanted to see his side better their performances from the preceding One-day series.

“We want to see big performances from the batsmen especially,” Griffith said in an interview with CWI Media. “We want to see players scoring big hundreds, batting through one session and come back and bat a second session, and bat through a day, so we can win those little battles. I also want to see players maturing and changing when it comes to humanity.”

The CWI Academy side won the One-day series 2-1, after they rebounded from Emerging Ireland winning the first match by 26 runs this past Friday at the Vivian Richards Ground (VRCG) to win the second match by seven wickets this past Sunday at the CCG and third match by six wickets two days later at the VRCG.

“It was a good series to come back and win after losing the first game,” Griffith said. “The first game, we had them on the run and we were dominating the game, but we allowed things to slip and we lost that game.

“It was good to see the young players had the courage and the mindset to fight back, and we won the last two games.”

Griffith also praised left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop for bowling with control throughout the series, and left-handed opener Matthew Nandu for the composure he showed batting at the top of the order in conditions that were a challenge for free-scoring players.

The two sides are using the series to gain high-quality playing time and test themselves against each other.

Guyanese pace bowler Isai Thorne, who bowled with hostility and penetration on the West Indies Under-19 tour in August to Sri Lanka, has come into the Academy squad for the two red-ball matches.