Samuels: Patience will be required
West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has cautioned his team-mates to get out of the T20 mind set ahead of the first Test against New Zealand, saying it will all be about patience at Sabina Park and beyond.
West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels has cautioned his team-mates to get out of the T20 mind set ahead of the first Test against New Zealand, saying it will all be about patience at Sabina Park and beyond.
Samuels scored a century and a half ton the last time they played in Kingston, also against the Black Caps, and led his side to a five wicket win. But that game was low on runs, and he feels more patience will be needed.
Samuels told <i>CMC</i>: "The pitches in the Caribbean are a bit on the slow side so it [will depend on] who can occupy the crease the longest and win more sessions.
"Patience will be the most important thing for this series for the batsmen and bowlers. [You will have to] bowl in good areas and be patient in every way that is possible to win, because it is going to be a tough series.
"These pitches get flat sometimes and they are still on the slow side so whosoever is more patient will come out on top."
Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Mike Hesson was non-commital on the number of spinners he'd use, opting to decide closer to the time whether paceman Neil Wagner or uncapped spinner Mark Craig would get the final bowling slot.
He said in the <i>Dominion Post</i>: "Kingston doesn't have a lot of grass on it but it holds together and certainly has a lot more pace.
"We haven't seen the wicket and we have to decide whether we play a third seamer [Wagner] or a second spinner [Craig]. Whoever we leave out will be unlucky because they've both performed really well."
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