Sammy laments West Indies’ shortcomings

Canberra, Feb 7 (IANS/CMC) Captain Darren Sammy has lamented the failure of the West Indies to exploit potential match-winning moments in their current One Day International series against Australia.

Sammy was reacting after Australia took a winning 3-0 lead in the five-match series Wednesday, following their 39-run win at Manuka Oval.

Windies hopes of erasing the home side’s mammoth 329 were kept alive by a third wicket stand of 114 by the Bravo brothers, Darren and Dwayne until seamer James Faulkner turned the tables with a four-wicket haul.

“We played some good cricket but we keep coming up short. I think we let them get to many runs in the first innings,” stated Sammy.

“(A total of) 329 was always a hard score to chase but credit to the boys the way they went about trying to get the runs and we didn’t have enough in the end.”

Opener Chris Gayle forced to bat down the order as a result of a thigh injury was dismissed cheaply and Andre Russell raced to 43 from 41 balls.

But the Windies continued losing wickets and the last eight tumbled for 95 runs.

“Yes, Pollard on the boundary took some marvellous catches and Powell continue to play well and the Bravo brothers kept us in the game,” Sammy recalled.

“ and even at the end myself and Russell we could have brought it home and Faulkner bowled really well in the end and we fell short again.”

Sammy is hoping for consolation wins as the West Indians travel to Sydney Thursday afternoon ahead of the fourth ODI Friday.

“Yes, we gotta still believe that we can,” he said.

“We have been doing some good things in between and we just got to do it a more consistently.”

—IANS/CMC

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IANS 2013-02-07 13:28:09