Kraigg Brathwaite ‘very sorry’ for West Indies’ embarrassing batting display

06/22/2021

Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite sincerely apologized for his side’s appalling batting in the two-Test series against South Africa, and admitted that the batters did not show fight or determination. Remarkably, in 4 attempts, the home side failed to cross 200, with 165 being their highest total.

West Indies’ hideous batting display in the first Test in St Lucia proved to not be a one-off as in the second, the Kraigg Brathwaite-led side produced an equally appalling display with the bat to hand the series to the Proteas. Coming on the back of totals of 97 & 162 in the first Test, the Windies were rolled over for 149 and 165 in second, as the Proteas bowlers feasted on the mediocrity of the hosts to script a 2-0 series win, their first away series victory in four years.

Dissecting the loss, Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite left no stone unturned. Issuing a public apology for the hideous display, Brathwaite asserted that his side batted unacceptably.

"We didn't bat well. Full stop. We're very sorry. We were disappointing,” Brathwaite said on Monday.

“We've got to come back and show that fight. You can't win it all but as batter you have to show fight, show determination, which we didn't. It's still a learning process with some young guys in there and some other guys coming back in. It still not an excuse. We've got to come back better.

"Part of the plan obviously was to bat better and have consistent partnerships and big partnerships but we didn't have any. During the series, you can't work on anything technical and Test cricket is all mental. But you always have something to work on as a player. We have a couple of weeks and we could work on a few flaws that we have."

There were only two West Indies half-centuries across four innings in the series, but the skipper dismissed suggestions that the absence of a batting coach was hurting the batters.

"It isn't a factor. The coaches here are doing a very good job. And as batters, we know where we went wrong,” Brathwaite said, when asked if his side were in need of a batting coach.

But while lambasting the batting, Brathwaite lavished praise on his bowlers, who bowled their hearts out across both matches. Led by Kemar Roach, the Windies bowlers, in fact, kept the hosts in the second Test by bowling the Proteas out for 174, and Brathwaite said that the fight shown by the bowlers was commendable.

"We were magnificent in the field. Kemar Roach was magnificent. Every time I asked the bowlers for a spell, they were always willing to do the job," he said. "And we took some very good catches. The bowling unit must be commended for the effort."

The two sides will now clash in a five-match T20I series, the first of which will commence on June 26 in Grenada.