CHASE hails Windies’ batting display in series victory

West Indies captain Roston Chase has credited the team’s consistency with the bat as the foundation for the 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka.

He made the assessment following the completion of the drawn second Test on Tuesday, at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium in Antigua, where the regional side secured a series win.

West Indies’ batsmen amassed 1 234 runs across their three innings, highlighted by four centuries and three half centuries.

Amir Jangoo topped the series run table with 242 at an average of 62.37, ahead of Chase on 217 runs, at an average of 59.61.

Chase said, “I’m very elated, especially against a team like Sri Lanka that we have struggled to beat even at home and especially when we go away to them. 

“So to come here and not just beat them but in a dominating kind of way when we haven’t won against them in 23 years, it feels great, especially after the year that we had last year.”

The allrounder also revealed that the team put a lot of emphasis during their preparation on making batting improvements.

“It was mostly the bowling that stood up for us in the majority of the games. It’s something that I really put forward to the guys, that we need to be able to at least give the bowlers something to work with. They raised their hands tremendously in this series,” Chase said.

He continued, “These are big hundreds and not only that, we turned them into big totals as well. Not just one guy getting 100 and we (the team) probably just getting over 250. For two guys to get hundreds in two innings, that says a lot.”

Chase was also happy with his personal performance during the series, but stressed that he was well supported by the team.

“I mean this is the first series where I really had an outstanding performance. I’ve been trying but to go and actually lead from the front, so it feels great. I just wanna congratulate the guys for helping me to achieve this as the leader of the team,” he added.

Man of the Series Justin Greaves described that award as the biggest moment of his career thus far.  

Man of the Match and series Justin Greaves. (Photo Credit: AFB/Getty Images)

“This will be top of the list. Contributing to a team win and then contributing to a series win as well, also the first series win in the test championship for us, so it’s a very big achievement,” he said.

Greaves has scored three test centuries in his career with two coming at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The allrounder offered some insight into his success at the venue.

“It is home for me at the moment, playing for the Leewards, so I have gotten accustomed to the surface and it’s usually a pretty good one. Once you get in, you know, you could really add big scores.”

(KH)