West Indies will tackle England today in the Apex Test series. For the men in maroon, they will be aiming to play to their home advantage as England have won but one Test series in the Caribbean in the past 54 years.
West Indies Head Coach Phil Simmons
Head Coach Phil Simmons, in a press briefing, stated that he was confident in his side as they sought to topple England who have had a horrid Test summer.
English skipper Joe Root alongside West Indies skipper Jason Holder
According to Simmons, the team are extremely confident as they recently concluded a five-day camp and were able to focus on different aspects of the game. He mentioned that coming out of the camp in the last couple of days, the team seemed confident and would be looking forward to the series against England.
“I think the only time was in 1994, it’s a case of looking to play the cricket that will put us in a position to win the series. We’ve been working hard on all the aspects that we need to get together; three grounds – we know them so we are trying to work hard and be ready for everything England can throw at us,” Simmons said.
The absence of James Anderson and Stuart Broad came as a shock to the English fans when they were excluded from the side; however, Simmons believes that his batters can deliver the runs which the bowlers can defend. He related that in the recently-concluded five-day camp it was brought over to the batsmen that they needed to put runs on the board in order for the bowlers to defend; thus, the Windies Head Coach is expectant of good things to showcase in the series.
As it pertains to the conditions in Antigua, Simmons said, “The condition looks as it always looks, the wicket has some moisture to it, but I don’t know what it’s going to look like when we get to it, but it looks as though it is going to be a good wicket and we have to work hard for our runs and for our wickets. So, it looks a good pitch.”
The last England-Windies home Test in 2019 saw Roston Chase playing a vital role, but with no Chase in the unit, the pressure will fall solely on the shoulders of Veerasammy Permaul, who is the only frontline spinner in the side. Simmons said within the first couple of days, the spinner was expected to play the holding role, noting that he has been bowling very well. The WI Head Coach said he expected the experienced Permaul to showcase his skills on the third day and possibly win it for the men in maroon.
The series will hold value as according to Simmons, it is crucial to the future of West Indies cricket as they need to start winning series; this will require them to compile a form and bring their best when they take to the field. “The series is important for West Indies cricket; it is important for the West Indies team and for us as a unit. To win the series, it is important, as this is our first Test series of the year and we want to win to start the year on a good note; it’s very important for that,” Simmons posited.
