Round three

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada – Captain Kieron Pollard has defended West Indies’ aggressive batting approach in the Twenty20 International series against South Africa, stressing his side were unwilling to “compromise our strengths” ahead of the critical third match on Tuesday.

West Indies stunned the Proteas by eight wickets in the opener last Saturday, producing a dominant pursuit of 161 to win easily with five overs to spare at the Grenada National Stadium.

In the second game on Sunday, the home side again went hard at a target of 167 but were let down by several injudicious shots during the middle overs, to fall short by 16 runs.

Pollard said it was important West Indies played their brand of cricket even though they were aware of the improvement needed in other areas such as rotation of strike.

“I don’t think it’s a crime to finish a game in 15 overs and to actually bat how we did,” Pollard said in reference to the first T20.

“At the end of the day, it’s Twenty20 cricket and that’s our strength. It’s known worldwide that as individuals at times, we struggle to rotate strike in middle periods but are we just going to compromise our strengths just to fit one part of our game?

“It’s just a matter of having conversations and trying to come up with the best solutions and having the right personnel at that point in time to do what you’re asking.

“In a perfect world, you want to start quickly, then you want to consolidate and you want to finish. But we have to live in the real world and we have to deal with what we have in front of us.”

He continued: “There are certain guys trusted with the responsibility of doing certain things, and we trust that the guys can go out and execute that.

“Yes, we admit we had a falter [on Sunday] from a batting perspective but for me, it’s not the end of the world.”

Spotlight has also fallen on the opening power-play where South Africa managed to dominate in Sunday’s contest, gathering 69 in the last game to West Indies’ 53.

But with West Indies getting the better of the opening power-play in the first T20, Pollard said it was a phase of the game dictated by several external factors.

“Both teams have struggled [bowling wise] in the power-play at the start,” Pollard explained.

“The pitch in Grenada is a very good one and with two guys out of the inner circle in the first six overs, it’s difficult for any bowlers to actually come and restrict guys.

“So if you have guys who can power-hit the ball – for instance we have our guys and South Africa have de Kock and Hendricks and these guys – it’s just a matter of trying to come up with the best plan to try to limit them, and sometimes the pitch and the atmosphere and the conditions dictate.

“So it’s not one where as they are getting out of the blocks and we’re not, conditions tend to determine that. We just have to find a way to get better but some things you just have to accept and try to limit as much as possible. It’s difficult to defend with [only] two guys out.”

In the 12 T20 Internationals between the two sides, West Indies have now won only five but Pollard said the series remained “wide open”, especially with both camps having now assessed each other.

“You assess the scenarios, you see the batters, you see what they’re capable of, and it’s happened on both sides,” said the Trinidadian.

“I think now there’s a lot of planning going on but it boils down to how the 11 guys who take the field execute on both sides, to see who is mentally stronger and able to do the basics things on a consistent level.

“Both teams have seen each other and the series is wide open and that’s good.”

Meanwhile, selectors have stuck with the same 13-man squad for the third Twenty20 International.

Chief selector Roger Harper said the upcoming game provided players with another chance to impress as a collective.

“The selection panel is happy to retain the same squad for the third CG Insurance T20I,” Harper said.

“With this series in the balance, we would like to give this squad another opportunity to display how well they can play together.

“We are aware that there are still a number of T20Is ahead so there will be opportunities for other players going forward.”

As a result, no room has been found for attacking left-hander Shimron Hetmyer who has been fit and training with the group but unable to break into the squad.

The fourth T20I is set for Thursday with the final game here on Saturday.

SQUAD – Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair. (CMC)