Ramdin berates 'lazy' players despite win

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Cricket365
June 21, 2014

West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin was pleased with his side's 10-wicket win over New Zealand in Trinidad, but was still critical of the way his players wrapped up the game, saying they took too long about it.

Day five was full of rain and had the Kiwi resistance by BJ Watling and Mark Craig lasted much longer than the 99 runs it had, the weather may have prevented the win. In the end, the hosts needed 93 runs to win, of which Chris Gayle smashed 80.

Ramdin said: "It was frustrating, having that lower order come and put some partnership there. They created some chances, we did not take them and at the end of the day, I think we were lackadaisical in the field.

"We were not hungry for the last couple of wickets there. And we came back this morning with a lazy attitude and it could have haunted us. But we came out on the better end in this match."

The skipper did praise his side though, adding: "It was a fantastic victory in the end. It was a hard fought one as well. Our bowlers put in a lot of effort. Our batters did the job in the first innings, which is always good, trying to set up the match.

"Coming out of the Jamaica game, what we needed to put into this game was to attack their bowlers more, be confident, play our natural game. The batting has been coming along.

"Our confidence going into this Test match was a lot better than the one in Jamaica. We went out and played positive cricket, took the attack to the New Zealand bowlers.

"We bowled right areas. We were more patient. We tried to cut out the four-balls. On the first day, they were 80-odd for one or two wickets and we pulled it back tea time and then bowling them out having lost the toss, any captain will take that in a day's play."

Ramdin was notable pleased with the young batsmen, especially debutant Jermaine Blackwood, who made a fifty, Kraigg Brathwaite with his century, and Darren BRavo showing his worth with a ton too.

Ramdin said: "Jermaine Blackwood is an exciting young player. His name has been calling for the past couple of seasons in terms of runs at first-class level. They talk about application but when you go out and the manner in which he got his runs, he applied himself as well as played his shots throughout the innings.

"He surprised everyone, they did not know anything about him, and hopefully next game he can get a good score and go from strength to strength. You could see the energy that he brings to the team. Always enthusiastic, he wants to learn, he wants to go in every fielding position.

"Young Kraigg Brathwaite batted well for his century. Darren Bravo was short of runs but he came out in his home ground and he did well for himself. Kirk Edwards really took the attack to the opposition and tried to be on top them from ball one.

"Brathwaite is new to Test cricket in terms of matches. Young Bravo as well in terms of matches and Kirk Edwards, all those are young guys to take West Indies cricket forward and all have been doing well.

"Today we (also) saw the experience of Chris Gayle, who went out there and finished the game for us."