JavaScript is disabled in your web browser or browser is too old to support JavaScript. Today almost all web pages contain JavaScript, a scripting programming language that runs on visitor's web browser. It makes web pages functional for specific purposes and if disabled for some reason, the content or the functionality of the web page can be limited or unavailable.

Friday, July 11, 2025

Simmons says Aussies will start as favourites

by

20160602

GEORGE­TOWN–Head coach Phil Sim­mons has down­played West In­dies' chances in the Tri-Na­tions Se­ries start­ing here to­mor­row, but said it would be mis­take to un­der­es­ti­mate his side.

West In­dies are poised to clash with World cham­pi­ons Aus­tralia and pow­er­ful South Africa from to­mor­row to June 26 in Guyana, St Kitts and Bar­ba­dos.

How­ev­er, the hosts are ranked eighth in One-Day In­ter­na­tion­als, 36 points be­hind ta­ble lead­ers Aus­tralia, with the Pro­teas 24 points ahead in third spot.

"They are num­ber one and three in the world for a rea­son so we need to get up there and that's the rea­son we need to play these teams so we can see where we are and es­pe­cial­ly if we beat them we know we're some­where close to them," Sim­mons told re­porters here.

"The num­ber one team in the world has to be the favourites go­ing in­to the tour­na­ment but that's the thing, I don't think we were favourites in In­dia at the T20 World Cup so you play the game as you see it."

West In­dies open their cam­paign against South Africa to­mor­row at the Na­tion­al Sta­di­um here and fol­low up with a clash against the Aus­tralians on Sun­day at the same venue.

The Windies have not played an ODI at the venue in near­ly four years but have had had mixed re­sults at the sta­di­um, win­ning four of eight con­tests.

Sim­mons was, how­ev­er, di­vid­ed on whether the Na­tion­al Sta­di­um would pro­vide an ad­van­tage for his side.

"I don't know about home ad­van­tage. It's been a while since games have been played here so I don't know about home ad­van­tage," he of­fered.

"Usu­al­ly you get good wick­ets here, great out­field, good crowd so it could be a lit­tle bit of home ad­van­tage but we've got to make that in the start so how we do de­ter­mines which side the crowd gets on.

"Usu­al­ly here you can get big scores, chase down big scores and that's all it is. A good wick­et is a wick­et that every­body and can bat and bowl and get good scores for the peo­ple to watch."

The se­ries is the first for West In­dies since win­ning the Twen­ty20 World Cup in In­dia in April. (CMC)


Related articles

Sponsored

Weather

PORT OF SPAIN WEATHER

Sponsored