WI vs SL | Pretty docile wicket where we have to find ways to motivate ourselves, expresses Jason Holder

WI vs SL | Pretty docile wicket where we have to find ways to motivate ourselves, expresses Jason Holder

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Holder insisted that the wicket was pretty docile

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Jason Holder, following day two’s action, has expressed that it has been a pretty docile wicket in Antigua and added that the team has to find ways to motivate themselves throughout the game. While adding that the game is pretty evens-stevens, Holder wasn’t still sure about the umpire’s decision.

After Sri Lanka won the toss and shockingly sent West Indies to bat first, the hosts took the fullest advantage of it, scoring 354 runs, led by skipper Kraigg Brathwaite’s century. In the second innings, however, the Asian side did not get off to the best of starts, losing their skipper Dimuth Karunaratne in the ninth over of the innings. 

Kyle Mayers, who came on to bowl darted the ball back into the right-hander, Oshada Fernando, which saw the back of the Sri Lankan batsman. When Kemar Roach accounted for the set-batsman Lahiru Thirimanne, Sri Lanka were put under a lot of pressure, despite Jason Holder calling the conditions ‘docile’ and good for batting. The Windies all-rounder also expressed that on this wicket, it was important for the hosts to find ways to motivate themselves. 

“It's been a pretty docile wicket so far. We've got to find ways to motivate ourselves. We needed a burst with a bit of chirping so I took the responsibility upon myself. It's not a wicket that you can go and blast people out. It's a pretty good wicket for batting so at the end of the day you've got to be really patient and encouragement is part of it. It's pretty even stevens,” Holder said post-day, reported ESPNCricinfo. 

In the last over of the day, there was a controversial decision from the umpires, handing a reprieve to Dhananjaya de Silva, who looked like he edged one straight to the keeper. However, the umpire insisted that there was no ‘conclusive’ evidence to overturn the decision, with the original decision standing. 

"We heard a noise down the leg side. After seeing it on the review, we saw a spike so we thought it was an edge, but apparently, the umpires are saying there was daylight between bat and ball so I'm not sure. I'll have to go upstairs and see how it looks.”

Holder, who went wicketless on the day despite bowling 12 overs, insisted that if the hosts pick one or two wickets before the second new ball tomorrow, the game would tilt in their favour. 

“Two set batsmen at the crease, our bowlers toiled hard. 60 overs in, maybe if we can grab one or two more before the second new ball and then a few more with the second new ball then we're back in the game. I haven't been able to get a wicket today, been toiling, but who knows tomorrow. One or two may keep low or pop off the surface."

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