Reifer backs Windies batters despite recent struggles

West Indies batting coach Floyd Reifer remains confident the team’s batting unit can bounce back despite disappointing performances in the last two One-Day Internationals (ODIs) against New Zealand.
The Caribbean side has been dismissed for 138 and 140 in the last two matches of the five-match series, allowing New Zealand to take a 2-1 lead. While acknowledging that the batting displays have fallen below expectations, Reifer believes the challenging conditions in Guyana have played a significant role.
“Obviously, the last two games we didn’t bat to the best of our abilities, but the conditions were very challenging,” Reifer said.
He pointed to the importance of winning the toss, explaining that batting first at the Guyana National Stadium proved especially difficult.
“Batting first in Guyana, it seems the toss is a major factor. We know the ball can spin a bit and the pitch can be slow. Then in the evening you get the dew factor, which makes it easier to bat.”
Despite highlighting the conditions, Reifer stopped short of using them as an excuse.
“We still could have put up a better batting performance. We made 139, 138 and 140, and if we had gotten to anything over 200 or 210 runs, we would have made a game of it. There’s really no excuse for the batting performances we’ve displayed over the last couple of games.”
The former West Indies batsman also urged against judging the batting group solely on the recent results, noting that the team has generally performed well in the 50-over format over the past year.
“If we look back at the games we’ve played over the past year or year and a half, we’ve been batting really well in this format,” he said. “Whoever batted first on that pitch was always going to find it challenging to put a good score on the board.”
With two matches still to play, Reifer believes the team has every chance of responding positively.
“We have two more games left in the series, and we’re now heading to Barbados. Two bad batting performances don’t make a bad batting side. I’m still confident in the guys, and the players are confident that once we get to Barbados we’ll put together some good batting performances.”
The teams now shift their attention to the fourth ODI, which will be played today in Barbados, with the first ball scheduled for 10:00h, as the West Indies look to level the series and keep their hopes alive.