Coach Deitz calls for improved bowling performance | Sport

VADODARA, India (CMC):

West Indies Women’s head coach Shane Deitz has expressed his disappointment with the regional team’s bowling performance after two heavy losses to India in their ongoing One Day International series.

In the opening game on Sunday, India posted 314 for nine from their 50 overs, their second-highest total at home in an ODI, en route to handing West Indies their worst ODI defeat by an embarrassing 211 runs.

India bounced back on Tuesday to post 358 for five, their joint-highest ODI score, to win by 115 runs and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Speaking during a post-match press conference, Deitz admitted that the bowling in the two ODIs was below par.

“(Our bowling) has been very disappointing. In the last few months leading up to the World Cup, bowling was a real strength for us.

“We haven’t been able to bowl consistent lines and lengths or bowl to a field and on the good wickets here with fast outfields, you have to be able to cut off one side of the pitch and be able to bowl to a field. We haven’t been able to do that,” explained Deitz.

“We have leaked two bad balls and overs where we have been at least four and the Indian team has batted really well and punished everything we have missed.

“Obviously Chinelle Henry is our main fast bowler and she has been out injured which has been a big miss for us. We haven’t been able to get wickets in the powerplay,” he added.

Despite already losing the series, Deitz said it was important that the West Indies, who are currently placed ninth in the ICC Women’s Championship table, finish the series strongly.

He pointed out that valuable points were still up for grabs, with only the top six teams guaranteed a place at the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup, scheduled for August to September in India.

“We have one more game so it’s a chance for us players to step up and win.

“Automatic qualification for the World Cup has to be our goal,” said Deitz.