Photo Credit: Cricket West Indies
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite wants his team to make a winning start to 2023 when the face off against Zimbabwe in the upcoming Test matches, which starts on Saturday in Bulawayo. The West Indies had good preparation including a high-scoring warm-up fixture against the Zimbabwe XI at Bulawayo Sports Cub, and have now moved across town to the Queens Sports Club for the two-Test rubber.
“We’re aiming for an all-round team performance. I think in Australia we obviously didn’t bat well. We got above 250 a few times which was good [but] we didn’t bowl well. We didn’t bowl out Australia at all. I think coming here we’re looking for an all-round performance, one that the bowlers come together to get 20 wickets and then the batsmen putting a lot of runs on the board, especially in the first innings, making it a big total,” Bratwhaite said
The captain was speaking to members of the media on Friday, on the eve of the opening encounter. First ball Saturday is 10am (4am Eastern Caribbean/3am Jamaica).
“So, I would say on this tour that all-round performance is what really we’re looking for, gearing towards South Africa next month. Preparation has gone really well. I really like how the guys applied themselves in the practice game we had so that was really good. The guys are looking forward to the first Test. We’re in a very good space.”
West Indies last faced Zimbabwe here six years ago when they captured the two-match series 1-0. They won the opening Test by 117 runs and drew the second, in which the hosts posted in excess of 300 in each innings.
“We had a few practice sessions at the ground. I don’t think there’s any pressure. I think the guys are going to go out there and enjoy it and make West Indians proud. I think both pace and spin will get some assistance. Last time we came I thought the pacers did a good job. It didn’t bounce extremely high but I still think there’s stuff in it for the pacers once they obviously put in the effort,” Brathwaite said.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) governs cricket across the West Indies, a confederation of Caribbean countries. Originally established as the West Indies Cricket Board of Control in the 1920s, it became the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in 1996 and was rebranded as Cricket West Indies in May 2017 as part of a restructuring effort.
