Barbados may have been easy winners in their Red Stripe
Bowl opener, but the high number of extras, especially wides, is a
cause for concern. In defeating newcomers Antigua and Barbuda by six
wickets at the Uitvlugt Community Centre on Tuesday, Barbados conceded
34 extras, including 23 wides.
It is a staggering statistic against the background that in the three
previous years they gave away an average of 6.91 wides a match and
14.33 extras a match in 12 games between 1998 and 2000.
"It was a good win, like any win in one-day cricket, but in breaking
it down, we let them get too many runs and there were too many
extras," said team coach Hendy Springer.
"When you are playing against good teams, you can't afford those
extras."
It was suggested by some that the white ball was perhaps a bit more
difficult to control than a red "cherry", while the strong wind that
prevailed at a ground on the west coast of Demerara, which is just a
ball-throw away from the Atlantic, might have been another
contributing factor to the ball being sprayed around.
"The white ball takes a bit of getting accustomed to, but I don't want
to put it down to the breeze," Springer said. "I would like the
players to handle the responsibility. "I didn't use the word blame. I
use the word responsibility right through. There was that little bit
of indiscipline."
The chief culprit with the extras was Corey Collymore, who gave away
12 wides, including four in the first over of the match in which he
was also flicked for a six over backward square-leg by left-hander
Amwaa Prince and removed the same batsman through a keeper's catch.
Collymore's fellow fast bowlers Hendy Bryan, who conceded six wides,
and left-armer Ian Bradshaw, with three, also contributed.
Collymore was also clouted for six sixes in the dying stages by Man-
Of-The-Match Ridley Jacobs, whose unbeaten 76 and eighth-wicket
century stand with Kerry Jeremy allowed the first-time competitors to
recover from 68 for seven to reach 187 for nine.
In an effort to have the faults corrected, Barbados were planning to
have a practice session yesterday evening, but persistent rain in and
around the capital throughout the day left the conditions unsuitable
for a net session.
There will, however, still be ample time to get the problem rectified
ahead of this weekend's back-to-back matches.
"We've got to do some target practice and radar practice, bowling down
the channel and down the channel and down the channel," Springer said.
"But cricket is still a situation game. In trying to do this and that,
you may still be off-mark.
"We've got to get rid of those extra runs and extra overs we are
giving people. We are giving people an extra five and six overs. We
can't afford to do that."
Barbados gave Antigua and Barbuda at least an additional 26
deliveries, and Collymore and company found themselves struggling to
deliver the full quota of 50 overs in the 31/2 hours allocated.
By 1 p.m., Barbados were into the 47th over and it took them a further
22 minutes to complete the allotment.
There was a feeling that Barbados would not have had the opportunity
to bat for the full complement of 50 overs, but the match referee saw
no reason for imposing any penalty.
"Unless otherwise determined by the match referee, the innings of the
team batting second shall be limited to the same number of overs
bowled by it, at the scheduled time for cessation of the first
session," the playing conditions say.
"The referee may increase the number of overs to be bowled by the team
bowling second if, after consultation with the umpires, he is of the
opinion that events beyond the control of the bowling team prevented
that team from bowling the required number of overs by the scheduled
time for the cessation of the innings of the team batting first."
It is interesting to note that following Barbados' opening match, they
have three successive days off ahead of back-to-back matches against
Guyana and Southern Windwards at the weekend.
"After Tuesday, I think we should have been playing by at least
Thursday or Friday," Springer said. However, the Barbados coach added
that the long break could have some positives.
"It will give us time to rest, it can give us time to practise and
review tactics. But for the competition's sake, I don't believe it
should be stretched out over that period of time because you're just
playing a couple of games."
After yesterday's match between Guyana and Southern Windwards in
Berbice, there will be no matches today.
Zone "B" resumes tomorrow with a clash between Southern Windwards and
Antigua at the Diamond ground.