Interim Test Captain Kraigg Brathwaite believes the drawn tour game here Sunday has provided West Indies with the ideal warm-up for the first Test, and says the side must now focus on executing their plans in the upcoming series.
Brathwaite was one of three batsmen to score half-centuries in the three-day contest against a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) XI at the MA Aziz Stadium while off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall led the attack with an impressive five-wicket haul.
“[I am] very happy. I thought the guys got a good blow-out,” said Brathwaite whose first innings 85 was the highest score in the game.
“The batters got two chances to bat — some guys got some good scores. The fast bowlers and the spinners got the second innings to bowl again…and I was quite happy.
“We got 10 wickets in the first innings which was good and I think the guys are ready to go.”
There were bright spots in the West Indies batting, especially following an insipid display in the preceding one-day series.
Left-handed opener John Campbell chipped in with scores of 44 and 68 while the uncapped Nkrumah Bonner top-scored in the second innings with a polished 80.
Bowling all-rounder Raymon Reifer (49), wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva (46) and Kyle Mayers (40) all got starts in the game but failed to build.
“I just want to urge them to trust their plans — simple as that,” Brathwaite said in reference to the batting group.
“Some guys got some good scores. We know what we did to get those scores so we have to trust that same plan in the Test matches. I know the guys can do it.”
He continued: “It was very good to see Bonner get a nice score, John batted well in both innings [along] with Kyle Mayers. I don’t want to single out guys but obviously Bonner; I was really happy for him.
“He has been working really hard. Everybody has been working hard, to be honest, but it was really good to see him get a score.
“I am confident in all the batters. Some guys didn’t get the score they would like but some guys still went into the nets and kept putting in the work.”
Brathwaite also praised Cornwall’s effort in the first innings when West Indies bundled the BCB side out for 160.
“He bowled well, he created a lot of pressure, bowled a lot of dot balls,” the 64-Test veteran said.
“I know the ability of Rahkeem, I know he was always a quality off-spinner so it was good to see him in these conditions. I know he will do well in this Test series.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming Tests, the first of which bowls off Wednesday [tonight, Caribbean time], Brathwaite said execution was critical.
“I think as a bowling unit we have to stick to the plans, bowl to the field and create pressure with dot balls and wickets will come,” Brathwaite said.
“Batting-wise, we have to get batters to [carry on]. I got a fifty in this game but did not go on so I think any batter that gets in, it’s key for them to go on and get three figures and that would help the team get a nice total.”