West Indies rekindling glory days
The West Indies are reviving memories of their World Cup glory days with a pace attack that has the ability to strike fear into opposition batsmen.
The two-time champion opened their campaign at the tournament in England and Wales by skittling out Pakistan for 105 at Trent Bridge as their quicks made good use of the bouncer. Oshane Thomas led the way with four for 27, while Andre Russell, Sheldon Cottrell and captain Jason Holder provided good support as they cruised to a seven-wicket win.
When West Indies beat Australia in the inaugural 1975 World Cup final at Lord’s, their side included a four-man pace battery. And when they defeated England four years later in another Lord’s final to retain their title, they did so with the original “fearsome foursome” of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Colin Croft and Joel Garner.
Nobody is suggesting the current lineup is yet in that class but the fact they bowled Pakistan out cheaply without Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel shows that, once again, the West Indies have an impressive stock of fast bowlers.
Australia, who began the defence of their title with a seven-wicket rout of Afghanistan, will pose a far sterner challenge at Trent Bridge today.
One danger for the West Indies is that they become “bouncer happy” and use the tactic too often, with Warner and Steve Smith, both returning from one-year ball tampering bans, more than capable of putting away any misdirected short stuff.
But former Australia captain Steve Waugh has been impressed by the West Indies so far.
“For the first time in a long while they have fast-bowling depth,” Waugh said. “Every side in this tournament will be wary of playing the Windies. I wouldn’t want to face them in a knockout match.
“They are the sort of team that, if they get on a roll and build some momentum, then they could win it all. They are the most watchable team in the tournament with a batting line-up that can kidnap any bowling attack with brute force.”
Clive Lloyd, the West Indies captain of sides that won the 1975 and 1979 World Cup, said, “Australia has got some firepower and some very good batsmen. We just need to see what happens when the pressure is on the West Indies, but the game against Australia should do that, as that will be a good test of where we are at.”
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