West Indies vs Netherlands Preview : Windies yearn for momentum

If current form is anything to go by, Monday’s Group B encounter between West Indies and minnows Netherlands at Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi will be a closely fought contest. There are only two factors that tilt the balance in the West Indies’ favour. Firstly, the associate teams have a history of lacking consistency and, secondly, if sleeping giant Chris Gayle wakes the Dutch bowlers will be running for cover.

Coming into this game, the West Indies capitulated in their opening match against South Africa and made the aura surrounding them in the initial days World Cup cricket seem like a prehistoric event.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, up a highly commendable effort against England in Nagpur Tuesday to stake their claim the big league. Although Netherlands’ inexperience in the bowling department came to the fore as the Englishmen kept their cool to avoid a shocker, the Dutch players definitely showed that their victory against the same opposition in 2009 World Twenty20 was no fluke.

All- rounder Dwayne Bravo’s withdrawal from the World Cup to injury has further evened the playing field. The West Indians are yet to find replacement for Bravo and the Dutch have trained in a meticulous manner in the Capital, looking to improve on bowling in the right areas — a factor that let them down against England.

Netherlands were the first to train on Sunday and they started off with some fielding drills before heading for a net session.

While the wicket at Nagpur helped the likes of Ryan ten Doeschate as the ball was coming on nicely on to the bat, the wicket at the Kotla will definitely a different cup of tea. Experienced campaigner Bas Zuiderent — the only current Dutch player to appear in more than 50 ODI matches — had a long session against both the faster and the slower bowlers.

The other Dutch players, including ten Doeschate, looked have extended sessions with the spinners provided by the Delhi and District Cricket Association. Having had a session under lights on Saturday — to get used the dew and the cooler conditions — they only had a morning session before the Caribbeans took over.

The Windies had a rigorous session under the scorching heat on Sunday and looked intent on getting all the strategies right. Coach Ottis Gibson gave a halfan- hour long talk on how not to lose momentum mid- way into match on Monday as they against South Africa last Thursday.

Gayle looked his usual self as he kept treating the net bowlers with disdain. Shivnarine Chanderpaul looked more intent on playing the spinners as he doesn’t want to be foxed by a spinner again after Imran Tahir got the better of him in the previous match.

Another advantage they will have over the Dutch is the fact that they have already played on this wicket and know what to expect. But the Dutch bowlers are suited to bowling on slow wickets and spinner Adeel Raja will lap up the opportunity of going all- out against the West Indian batsmen.

With Monday’s encounter being a day- nighter, West Indies also trained for an hour under lights before calling it a day. If anything, the Windies will be banking heavily on the likes of Gayle, Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan to use all their experience of playing in the sub- continent and wade off the threat the Netherlands present.

Chief curator Radhe Shyam said that although a different wicket will be used for Monday’s game, it will play better. “ The wicket will be a belter and the batsmen will have a feast before it starts turning in the latter stages,” he said.