Dhaka, Bangladesh — The West Indies bowling unit has been doing a very good job in Test cricket this year and skipper Darren Sammy has applauded his team-mates for their excellent numbers in the longest format of the game.
Speaking on Friday, ahead of the start of the second Test match against Bangladesh, Sammy expressed confidence that it will be more of the same "hard-working and consistent kind of effort", when the two teams meet on Saturday.
First ball at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium is 9.30 am (11.30 pm Friday Eastern Caribbean Time/10.30 pm Jamaica Time).
"The bowling unit has been outstanding for us all year and this is great to see. In most cases to win a Test match you have to look at getting 20 wickets and we have managed to do that on a few occasions this year. All the bowlers have done something special throughout the year and as we continue to work hard we will continue to seek success," Sammy said.
In his first year at the international level, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has taken 24 wickets in six matches with best bowling of 4-65 on debut against Pakistan at the Guyana National Stadium in May. Pacer Ravi Rampaul has 23 wickets at 23.78 apiece in six matches with best bowling figures of 4-48 also in the Windies win against Pakistan in Guyana.
Fidel Edwards, the fastest and most experienced in the squad, has picked up 21 scalps in four matches, with best of 5-76 against India in Barbados. He also had another five-for in the following match in Dominica. Sammy himself has taken 19 wickets in six Tests with his seam bowling, with best figures of 5-40 in the West Indies only win this year against Pakistan in Guyana.
The West Indies have played six Tests matches for the year – two against Pakistan, three against India and one against Bangladesh.
Sammy noted: "It’s up to us to continue to do the work and look to get even better. We have done a lot of good work with [Head Coach] Ottis Gibson and we have been getting the results. This match will be crucial for us as a team moving forward. We need to win and take the series. The bowlers know they have a key role to play."
Sammy said the pitch at Dhaka looked drier than in previous matches at the ground but he was not overly concerned.
"You know if you go to England you expect the ball to seam. If you go to Australia or South Africa you expect the ball to bounce. When you come to the sub-continent you should expect the ball to spin," said Sammy.
"The wicket (pitch) looks much drier than when we played the One-Dayers. We are not going to get caught up with what the pitch might or might not do. We will look to put runs on the board and look to get 20 Bangladeshi wickets. We will go into the match with a positive mind-set believing that we can win. We are aware that their attack is based on spin and we will have to play spinners much better than we did in Chittagong."