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WEST Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph wants to become a leader on the inexperienced team currently facing Bangladesh in a three-match One Day International (ODI) series with several senior players missing in action.
West Indies will be aiming to square the series on Friday in the second ODI from 1.30 am TT time after suffering a six-wicket defeat in the opening contest, on Wednesday.
West Indies were bundled out for 122 in 32.2 overs, before Bangladesh eased to 125/4 in 33.5 overs.
More than ten players chose not to tour because of covid19, personal fears or personal reasons. ODI captain Kieron Pollard and Test captain Jason Holder are among those who opted not to tour.
Despite playing less than 30 ODIs before the series began Joseph is one of the more senior players on the team.
On carrying the weight of responsibility and if it is a role he is relishing, Joseph said, “Obviously it is something that I look forward to. It is a new challenge like you said with all the pull outs and all…but it is something I accept with open arms and something I expect (from) myself - leading from the front.”
West Indies were 115/5 in the 30th over, before losing five wickets for seven runs to be dismissed for 122 in the 33rd over.
Asked if he would have liked the middle and lower order to show more resistance, Joseph said, “We all have our roles to play. We all have our weight to pull, so if the top half got skittled out then the bottom half has to pull that weight because it is a team. I think we all need to look within ourselves and realize that this is international cricket and we have to do better.”
Speaking about what the team discussed following the first match Joseph said the management tried to lift the spirit of the players.
“It was more words of encouragement yesterday (Wednesday) evening and after the game because obviously we all saw that we didn’t do our best in terms of putting up a challenging total. It was more words of encouragement (and) giving the guys the confidence to come back and do better in this second ODI.”
Six players made their ODI debut for West Indies in the opening match including Akeal Hosein, Andre McCarthy, Chemar Holder, Joshua Da Silva, Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner.
Joseph does not think nerves were the reason West Indies were dismissed for 122.
“Obviously playing your first ODI there is going to be some nerves especially if you waited for a long time to get this call. I think there were a bit of nerves, but I would not say that necessarily affected their batting performance. I think it was just not the best application from all our batsmen, but it is just for us to know what we have to do to come back better in this second ODI.”
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