WI v SL 2018: West Indies will look to exploit the conditions on the last day, says Stuart Law

Stuart Law is very happy with the way his side has played in the first Test match.

Stuart Law (Sky Sports)

West Indies are on the verge of a very pleasant win over Sri Lanka in the first Test of the ongoing two-Test series in the Carribean and it has got their head coach Stuart Law very excited. Law believes that as long as his bowlers hit the right lengths consistently on an increasingly uneven surface for the last day of the Test, where West Indies defends another 276 and looks for 7 wickets, they should be able to make a winning start to the series, in the end. 

Law, ahead of the important day for his team was quoted saying, "We don't talk a great deal, we just stick to what we know best, We know that we've got to find the length that's hard to score of, we attack the stumps with good field settings, make it hard for them to score and one of those that either roll on the ground or bounce should come into play. We won't talk about it too much tonight, we come back in the morning and reassess. We formulate our plans and then get out there and try and do it"

"You know 453 to win is a huge target, 400 is not something that gets chased down too often in Test cricket, there's always something happening,[From] our bowlers, we've had a big effort so far, they bowled them out for 180 in the first innings in 40-odd overs, we just need one more big effort tomorrow - 90 overs to get seven wickets and keep them under 250," 

The whole game for the Windies was setup by a fine hundred from their wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich and a very good bowling effort in the first innings. Law has nothing but praise for his young team, as he further added, "We batted really well in this Test match, our top five didn't score great runs but they all got starts in the first innings. Shane Dowrich converted that and Kieron Powell batted beautifully in the second innings, didn't quite get on to that hundred but useful contributions down the order"

"It's been hot, that's for sure. I think the wicket's been good too, in the first innings it was difficult to bat on, our boys applied themselves really well and to bowl Sri Lanka out for 180 was a testament to it. The wicket was difficult, it's flattened out, it's got better and better so it's been a good cricket wicket so far, we just need it to deteriorate a bit. There's a little bit of spin, little bit of variable bounce and we need to exploit that tomorrow to push on for victory."

Long way to go for a Test team that is ranked ninth in the Test rankings but, West Indies being competitive is an excellent sign for Test Cricket. 

(Inputs from Cricbuzz)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 10 Jun, 2018

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