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Orville Higgins | ‘Bravo’ for optimism but let’s be patient

Published:Saturday | November 16, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Bravo
Windies batsman Brandon King (right) plays an elegant cut shot during his 39 on debut against Afghanistan in their third and final One Day International which was played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, India on Monday.
Cameron
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I watched with real interest a video all-rounder Dwayne Bravo recorded after the Windies went 2-0 up in their three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Afghanistan. It was the first time in five years that the Windies had won an ODI series. They subsequently went on to win 3-0 and took a 1-0 lead in the Twenty20 series.

In the video, Bravo said that the team had now turned the proverbial corner and that the fans can now expect better things. He blamed the Windies’ poor performance over the last five years squarely on the past administration. He didn’t call names. He didn’t need to. The clear reference to former president Dave Cameron was unmistakable. He felt that ‘bad mind’ and vindictiveness from the Cameron-led administration was responsible for what he called the worst period in West Indies history.

Bravo, I thought, was being unfair. Cameron’s reign saw the Windies winning three world titles, two that we never won before. It was not all doom and gloom. We also beat England in a Test series for the first time in a decade. Yes, the team struggled badly in ODI cricket during that time, but that 2-2 draw with the No. 1 rated England earlier this year was creditable.

While some may dismiss Bravo’s rant as a man taking a ‘last lick’ at his perennial foe, the truth is that the Windies have not won four international games on the trot in five years. Yes it’s only Afghanistan, but the truth is that this Afghanistan team has beaten the Windies in a series at home before and did beat us in the World Cup qualifiers as well.

So it was not a done deal that we would see the kind of lopsided results that we are seeing. Is Bravo right that the team has turned the corner, or is he talking much too early because he could not wait to twist the knife against Cameron? Are we seeing anything from the team now that is different or improving?

Shai Hope, Roston Chase, and to a lesser extent, Nicholas Pooran stood out in the ODIs with the bat, but nobody else really set the place on fire. Chase was the leading wicket taker with six wickets, which means he out bowled many of the specialist bowlers.

Alzarri Joseph and Hayden Walsh Jr., for example, were disappointing, taking two and four wickets, respectively, with economy rates of 6.15 and 5.81. Individually therefore, there were not too many standouts with either bat or ball. Sometimes, though, a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The team did look determined and focused.

A lot is at stake for coach Phil Simmons and captain Kieron Pollard. They have a lot to prove. They have passed the mock exam against Afghanistan. Tougher tests will come. Time will tell whether Bravo is right that great things are to come now that Cameron is no longer there. You wonder in a year or two who will have the last laugh, Bravo or Cameron? Watch this space.

Orville Higgins is a veteran broadcaster with more than 20 years experience in the field of sports.