Windies fighting for respect against Australia

AFP, HOBART (AUSTRALIA): The much-maligned West Indies are battling to regain respect against Australia in the first of three Tests starting in Hobart on Thursday, but the odds are heavily stacked against the once-mighty Caribbeans. They have won just four of their last 20 Tests and were humbled by 10 wickets in their only warm-up game by a modest Cricket Australia XI. In contrast, third-ranked Australia are coming off a 2-0 home series win over New Zealand and spanked the Windies in two Tests earlier this year.
Heading into the return series, the West Indies are ranked only above Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and last won a Test in Australia in 1997, while they have failed to win a series Down Under since 1992-93. Meanwhile, Windies skipper Jason Holder Wednesday said his embattled West Indies players must focus on their individual gameplans if they want to pull off a stunning win against Australia.
“We are very upbeat about this series. It’s a fresh series for us, so we have to be positive going into it,” Holder told a match-eve media conference. “If we realistically do what we have to do in terms of executing our roles then anything is possible on any given day. “The onus has to be upon each player to perform their role and execute their plans. Once we do that we can put together a strong collective effort.”
Ambrose rebuked the team in the wake of the defeat and Holder said the players have taken his stinging words to heart. “Curtly shed a lot of light on where we are at this current time and how we played that warm-up game,” Holder said. “We’re in that situation where we have to just put that behind us.”
Holder also tried to turn the heat back on to the Australians, by highlighting some perceived weaknesses. “If we can get into their middle order as quickly as possible, that will be better off for us,” he said. “Davey Warner is coming off a very good series against New Zealand, and (with) Steve Smith they scored the bulk of the runs in the last series played.
“So if we can target them in a sense of getting them out as early as possible then we can put pressure on their middle order.” Aussie skipper Steve Smith backed James Pattinson to deliver the “X-factor” as he makes his return to Test cricket leading Australia’s attack in the first Test against West Indies from Thursday. “Patto’s a quality bowler. He bowls at 150kph (93 mph) when he’s got everything together,” Smith said in Hobart in announcing the team Wednesday.
“So he brings that kind of X-factor to the team. He’s got a lot of aggression he’s not afraid to show, which I think is a great attribute. “He just needs to go out and do what he does well. He is similar to Hazlewood the way he bowls. Hopefully those two can lead the attack well. Hopefully, he can have a successful comeback into the Australian team.”
“He’s been working extremely hard. He’s bowling extremely fast. I was facing him in the nets over the last couple of days,” Smith said. “I’m not worried about him. I am sure he’s going to be around the squad this summer and he’ll get an opportunity to play at some point.” Smith said his team was not taking anything out of the West Indies’ poor lead-in to the Hobart Test when they lost to a rookie Cricket Australia XI by 10 wickets in Brisbane last weekend.

Windies fighting for respect against Australia

AFP, HOBART (AUSTRALIA): The much-maligned West Indies are battling to regain respect against Australia in the first of three Tests starting in Hobart on Thursday, but the odds are heavily stacked against the once-mighty Caribbeans. They have won just four of their last 20 Tests and were humbled by 10 wickets in their only warm-up game by a modest Cricket Australia XI. In contrast, third-ranked Australia are coming off a 2-0 home series win over New Zealand and spanked the Windies in two Tests earlier this year. Heading into the return series, the West Indies are ranked only above Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and last won a Test in Australia in 1997, while they have failed to win a series Down Under since 1992-93. Meanwhile, Windies skipper Jason Holder Wednesday said his embattled West Indies players must focus on their individual gameplans if they want to pull off a stunning win against Australia. We are very upbeat about this series. Its a fresh series for us, so we have to be positive going into it, Holder told a match-eve media conference. If we realistically do what we have to do in terms of executing our roles then anything is possible on any given day. The onus has to be upon each player to perform their role and execute their plans. Once we do that we can put together a strong collective effort. Ambrose rebuked the team in the wake of the defeat and Holder said the players have taken his stinging words to heart. Curtly shed a lot of light on where we are at this current time and how we played that warm-up game, Holder said. Were in that situation where we have to just put that behind us. Holder also tried to turn the heat back on to the Australians, by highlighting some perceived weaknesses. If we can get into their middle order as quickly as possible, that will be better off for us, he said. Davey Warner is coming off a very good series against New Zealand, and (with) Steve Smith they scored the bulk of the runs in the last series played. So if we can target them in a sense of getting them out as early as possible then we can put pressure on their middle order. Aussie skipper Steve Smith backed James Pattinson to deliver the X-factor as he makes his return to Test cricket leading Australias attack in the first Test against West Indies from Thursday. Pattos a quality bowler. He bowls at 150kph (93 mph) when hes got everything together, Smith said in Hobart in announcing the team Wednesday. So he brings that kind of X-factor to the team. Hes got a lot of aggression hes not afraid to show, which I think is a great attribute. He just needs to go out and do what he does well. He is similar to Hazlewood the way he bowls. Hopefully those two can lead the attack well. Hopefully, he can have a successful comeback into the Australian team. Hes been working extremely hard. Hes bowling extremely fast. I was facing him in the nets over the last couple of days, Smith said. Im not worried about him. I am sure hes going to be around the squad this summer and hell get an opportunity to play at some point. Smith said his team was not taking anything out of the West Indies poor lead-in to the Hobart Test when they lost to a rookie Cricket Australia XI by 10 wickets in Brisbane last weekend.