Cricket

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has identified the team's failure to capitalize on their bowling performance in the first innings as a crucial factor in their 40-run loss to South Africa in the second Test in Providence.Despite bowling South Africa out for a meager 160, the West Indies bowlers were unable to take a significant lead, as Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger added a crucial 63-run partnership for the final wicket. In response, the West Indies were bowled out for 144, conceding a 16-run deficit."Our first innings total needed to be bigger. We needed to get a lead from it," Brathwaite said. "I think that was very important. You can never complain about the bowlers' effort to bowl them out for 160, but yeah, the batting effort in the first innings just wasn't big enough."Despite the disappointing result, Brathwaite highlighted several positives from the series, including the performances of Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, and Jason Holder. Joseph took five wickets in the first innings, while Seales was the West Indies' leading wicket-taker with 12, including a six-wicket haul in the second innings. Holder scored a half-century in the first innings.Brathwaite also praised the bowling of the two spinners, Rahkeem Cornwall and Veerasammy Permaul, who both conceded less than three runs per over in the second innings."I think bowling-wise, you look at Shamar coming back in, not playing the first Test, and coming in bowling out South Africa on the first day. Jayden throughout the series, continued to keep coming despite the hot conditions. That was a positive," Brathwaite said."You see the two spinners, one of the first time two spinners played together in the Caribbean, and they did well, in particular this game where both of them were under three runs an over. That's one thing we asked for, and that was great to see."Looking ahead, Brathwaite expressed excitement about the potential of the West Indies' fast bowling unit, which includes Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, and Seales. However, he also emphasized the importance of the batting unit."I must say, I'm very excited about the batting unit. I really think the line-up we have, can do the job," Brathwaite said. "So, we just got to keep believing."

West Indies' batters face a crucial challenge in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge, as they aim to strike a delicate balance between defense and attack. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite emphasizes the urgent need to "find a way" to accumulate runs after their dismal performance at Lord's, where they were bowled out for meager totals of 121 and 136.Brathwaite acknowledges that discussions have centered around potential adjustments, such as adopting a more aggressive approach against England's bowlers. However, he stresses the importance of maintaining their current strategy while extending their periods of concentration. "We've got to bat a lot better," he declares. "It's simple. We've got to find a way, which we've had some discussions around different things we can do better as a team."Despite the inexperience of his young batting lineup, Brathwaite remains unfazed by his own lack of form with the bat. He believes in his ability to lead the team and establish a solid foundation for their batting. "I know what I have to do and it's obviously important to lead this team and lead the batting, just to build this foundation is obviously what I'm focusing on," he says.Brathwaite draws inspiration from their victory in Brisbane earlier this year, where they overcame a heavy defeat in the first Test to triumph in the second. He believes that this experience demonstrates their resilience and ability to bounce back from adversity. "I think from a belief point of view, it shows that we could get it done after a loss," he says.The West Indies captain also emphasizes the importance of scheduling more Test matches to accelerate the development of their players. "I think the more you play it, the faster you will learn," he says. "Obviously if it is drawn out over a long period of time, playing two Tests here, two Tests there, you will take longer to learn."With six more Test matches scheduled for the year, Brathwaite is optimistic about the team's prospects. He believes that the experience gained from these matches will be invaluable for their growth and development. "We've got to make use of that and hopefully, going forward, we can get more because it will benefit the players," he says.

West Indies Captain Urges Resilience After Lord's DefeatWest Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has implored his team to remain steadfast despite their crushing defeat in the first Test against England at Lord's. The visitors were dismissed for 121 and 168, failing to bat 50 overs in either innings.Brathwaite acknowledged that the team's goal of winning the series opener had not been met, but emphasized that there were still two Tests remaining. He urged his players to "dig deep" and maintain their belief in their abilities."It's easy to give up," Brathwaite said. "But we got to keep believing and keep supporting one another."The West Indies captain pointed to the team's bowling performance as a positive takeaway from the match. They dismissed England for 506, with Jayden Seales taking four wickets."We got ten wickets," Brathwaite said. "We did bowl them out albeit [for] 50-60 runs too many."However, the batting performance was a major concern. No batter reached 50, and several committed basic errors. Brathwaite acknowledged that the team needed to improve in this area."We know where we went wrong," he said. "We know where we can be better. My thing for the group is stay mentally tough. It's Test cricket. You go through successful periods, you go through tough periods, but you just got to be strong and believe in your ability."Brathwaite also reminded his players of their past successes, including their unbeaten Test series record against England at home. He expressed confidence that the team could bounce back and win the series."We all have had some memories, we've all had glimpses of doing great stuff on this level," Brathwaite said. "That's what I call experience. That's where experience comes in."

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is drawing inspiration from his team's stunning victory over Australia in Brisbane as they prepare for the first Test against England at Lord's. Despite their inexperience, Brathwaite believes his team can overcome the odds once again.In January, West Indies defied all expectations by defeating Australia in Brisbane, a venue where the hosts had lost only once in 34 Tests. Key contributions from Kavem Hodge, Joshua da Silva, Kevin Sinclair, Alick Athanaze, and Kirk McKenzie, along with Shamar Joseph's match-winning bowling performance, secured the historic eight-run win.Now, West Indies face another tough challenge in England, where they haven't won a series since 1988. Only three players in their squad - Brathwaite, Jason Holder, and Alzarri Joseph - have prior experience at Lord's. However, Brathwaite is confident that his team can replicate their Brisbane success."It was a big positive for us to get a win, because it shows that we could we could get the job done," Brathwaite said. "We could take a lot of stuff from that game as batsmen, because we had some important partnerships. Then the bowlers were outstanding."Brathwaite confirmed his XI on the eve of the Test, with Mikyle Louis set to make history as the first player from St Kitts to represent West Indies. The middle-order is also relatively inexperienced, but Brathwaite believes they are ready for the challenge."I think they're young and exciting," he said. "They have a lot of talent and we are fully 100% behind them."Brathwaite's experience will be crucial, especially against England's aggressive "Bazball" approach. However, he insists that he will not be rushed into changing his style."My general style is taking my time, and that's me," he said. "All the batters must bat their game, and back their plan. That's what we will do, we focus on ourselves. Making sure we fight is very important."Brathwaite also acknowledged the skills of James Anderson, who will be playing his final Test at Lord's."Obviously he's a legend of the game, he's very consistent," Brathwaite said. "Facing him in England is a good challenge, you've really got to be on it."Brathwaite's advice to his teammates is to trust their plans and enjoy the experience."Don't just expect to play for West Indies, expect to be the first to score 30 hundreds," he said. "You got to think big, you know. Don't think too small."