Sammy: Bowlers key to WI lifting World Cup

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa:

If the West Indies are to stand any chance of winning an unprecedented third World Cup title, their bowlers will have to produce a herculean effort, says head coach Daren Sammy.

Sammy made the comments following the just concluded T20I series against South Africa, which the West Indies lost 2-1.

The Windies' bowlers struggled during the series, taking just 10 wickets across the three matches. In the first two matches, they conceded a whooping 401 runs while claiming only four wickets.

Their best performance came in Saturday's third match - which was reduced to 10 overs - where they restricted the hosts to 118 for six - after making 114 for three in 10 overs - to win by six runs via the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method.

With just six days remaining before the West Indies take on Scotland in their T20 World Cup opener, Sammy said how far the team goes in the tournament will be determined by how well the bowling unit performs.

"I know it's going to take a massive effort with the ball but I'm seeing signs that when we execute ... today we executed our plans to different batters more often than not, and that's something Ravi [Rampaul] has been drilling with the bowling, so I'm looking forward to the World Cup," Sammy said.

"We have all the plans, but we all know we could have all the plans, especially from a bowling standpoint, but a plan is really good when it's executed, and we as a bowling group have not really executed well."

The head coach also said the team needed to improve their fielding as a matter of urgency.

"Today I saw more of execution, what we discussed in team meetings, how we want to bowl to different batters. We have to do that really well.

"We have to take the catches, for sure we have to take the catches. We can't keep giving the opposition's best batsmen one and two and three chances. We will be punished by that," Sammy maintained.

Sammy, who was part of the Windies' World Cup winning teams in 2012 and 2016, admitted he was pleased with the batting unit heading to the World Cup.

Despite losing the series, the batsmen had totals of 173 for seven, 221 for four and also blasted 114 for three in 10 overs.

- CMC