"Learning curve has been pretty steep...": West Indies coach on batters' intent against Australia

Team West Indies (Photo: Windies Cricket/ X)

Adelaide [Australia], January 18 (ANI): West Indies coach Andre Coley said that some of his hitters have had a very difficult time adjusting to Australia’s attack in the first Test of a two-match series here at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on Thursday.

West Indies’ subpar batting performance granted Australia a commanding position on Day 2 of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval. At the end of Day 2, West Indies posted a total of 73/6 trailing by 22 runs with Joshua Da Silva unbeaten on the crease with a score of 17(31).

Coley did not believe the surface was unduly difficult for the batters, even though 26 wickets fell in two days. Instead, he bemoaned his team’s poor decision-making despite their excellent intentions.

“The learning curve has been pretty steep for some of them. But if they were to sit back and some of the feedback has been, it hasn’t been tremendously difficult. It has been testing,” Coley said after play on day two as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“I think the challenge has pretty much been the consistency of the bowlers, obviously a wealth of experience in that Australian bowling attack, so their ability to stay patient, and there were times our batters played quite well,” the West Indies coach added.

“Our intent to score has always been evident but that has to be matched with decision-making here and with a lot more bounce potentially, the ability to leave the ball more consistently has to be part of your repertoire and your approach. Generally, I thought that our intent was pretty good. Our decision-making was questionable on occasions,” Coley further stated.

Coley did not hold his bowler accountable for his earlier-day decision to bowl short to Head, even though five of Australia’s seven best bowlers were out for fuller lengths.

“Originally, the plan to Head was pretty much go short at him upfront, and then plan B was pretty much a comeback into him, shut him down, which we did most of the time. But by the time he was set, the bowlers jaded. But I thought we stuck to the plans as best as we could, and generally, that worked well,” Coley said.

Australia batter Travis Head claimed that after not getting much short-ball action during the Pakistan series, where they successfully tested his patience on the front foot and wide of off stump, he thought that the short-ball onslaught helped him reach his innings.

“I felt like I started well. Obviously, the short pitch stuff, which is what I faced in England, first look at it in Australia where the ball is more consistent, and bounces a bit quicker. I felt I made really good decisions around that. Swayed out of the way of a few and played a few. It sort of got me in the innings a little bit,” Head said.

Head was impressed by Shamar Joseph’s 5 for 94 against Australia attack.

“Very good. I think you’ve seen with the quality of our three fast bowlers when they come in, they’re aggressive, they’ve got a fast bouncer, they’re aggressive on the stumps. And he’s got all of that. And he’s young. I thought he was very good. We’ll play him a lot over the next period,” Head said. (ANI)

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