No Disrespect Shown By New Zealand By Resting Williamson & Southee: Jason Holder

Past few days have not been passed well for the Windies players, who have just not lost the Test series, but also the practice game to a second string side as well.

Ahead of the ODI series, doubts still linger whether Windies will be able to give some competition to the home side or not and between this, the strategy to New Zealand selectors to rest Kane Williamson and Tim Southee indicated that Windies do not possess much harm to the home side.

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On being asked whether it was a disrespect shown by the home side to them, Windies skipper, Jason Holder, played down this remark,

‘I don’t think its disrespectful in any regard. If that’s the way they (want to go) they’re at liberty to do that. That’s a dilemma for them. They’ve obviously done what they need to in terms of this selection,” he said on the eve of the first ODI.

Holder also stressed on the need of getting good start and get a set tone for the series as he said,

“We need to get off to a really good start, it’s important for us to play some good cricket up front and set the tone for the series. We can’t dwell on the past. The test series has gone and there are guys here who hadn’t played in the test series. It’s a chance to get a new set of guys in, refocus and regroup.”

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Apart from losing the games, there is another factor that has troubled Windies, and that is the over rate. Skipper Holder was banned for the second Test of the series due to slow over rate. Kraigg Braithwaite, who stood for Holder as captain, also got fined for the slow over-rate during the second Test.

In short, apart from the performances on the field, this is another aspect of the game where Windies have to pay extra attention to.

The first ODI will be played in Whangarei on December 20 while the last two ODIs will be played in Christchurch on December 23 and 26 respectively. New Zealand will go as the obvious favourites to win the series.

Though the home team will have to wary of the current T20 champions in the T20I series that will follow.

Talking of the New Zealand camp, they will play with a full-strength side in the first ODI before Kane Williamson, and Tim Southee will be released to take rest. Mitchell Santner and Neil Broom will replace them, and Tom Latham will lead the team in Willaimson’s absence.

Windies squad –

ODI: Jason Holder (c), Chris Gayle, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope (wk), Jason Mohammed, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams, Ronsford Beaton, Shannon Gabriel, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse.

T20I: Carlos Brathwaite (c), Chris Gayle, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Andre Fletcher, Shai Hope, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams, Samuel Badree, Ronsford Beaton, Rayad Emrit.

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