Mirpur [Bangladesh], October 17 (ANI): As per the reactions of both Phil Simmons and Darren Sammy, the pitch at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur is expected to be a major talking point ahead of the first ODI between Bangladesh and the West Indies, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Both coaches had interesting expressions when asked about the surface. West Indies coach Darren Sammy admitted he had “never seen anything like it before,” while Bangladesh coach Phil Simmons described it as a “normal Mirpur wicket.”
A glimpse of the pitch, shared by a journalist, showed a black surface, typical of this venue. Sammy mentioned that his players would first need to read the conditions before deciding on their batting approach.
“I’m not sure if we can replicate it; we’ve never seen anything like that before,” Sammy said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
“I don’t know how to describe it. However, we will not let the pitch play on our minds. Wherever we go, the mantra remains the same: you still have to assess the conditions that you are faced with. And then once you’ve assessed it, you’ve got to decide what skill set is required to be successful, and then you back yourself in your delivery. And that’s where you add something to your game: ADD (Assess, Decide, Deliver),” he noted.
Simmons, meanwhile, hinted that the pitch could assist spin as the game progresses.
“It looks like a normal Mirpur wicket,” he said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
“So, it usually has some sort of turn in it, which is good,” he noted.
For the West Indies, this series will be a big test for their young batting group. Apart from skipper Shai Hope and experienced all-rounder Roston Chase, none of the other batters have played in Bangladesh before. Hope said he has been passing on his experience of subcontinental conditions to the rest of the squad.
“I am trying to share as much experience as I can,” Hope said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
“When you play in foreign conditions, it’s very important as an experienced player or as a senior player in the team to share all the knowledge that you possibly can. In this situation, we all have a desire to do well for the West Indies, and it’s very important as a cricketer, especially as a batter, to come into these conditions and perform well,” he added.
“So all the little learning that I would have gained from my previous trip – it’s about having those conversations with the remaining batters and trying to get the best out of each and every one of us,” he noted.
At least the visitors have had some recent match practice in similar conditions in India. Bangladesh, however, have their own set of worries, particularly with their batting line-up. Apart from one or two consistent performers, most of their batters, including Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, and Jaker Ali, have been struggling for runs. Promising opener Tanzid Hasan was even dropped from the ODI side during a poor series against Afghanistan last week.
With the top order out of form, Simmons admitted that captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz has had to tone down his natural attacking style in order to preserve wickets.
“Because of the start we’ve had, that’s the way he’s had to play – especially the one with him and Towhid Hridoy in that partnership (in the first ODI against Afghanistan),” he said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
“He had to build it back. And that’s been the pace that we have to look at. In that situation, he had to play like that, but I’m sure in a different situation, he will play accordingly,” he noted. (ANI)
