Barbados coach Hendy Springer sees an important role for under-fire opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite in the national team for the Regional Super50 cricket competition.
Quizzed prior to the third round match against the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC)?for a response to critics who believe Brathwaite’s generally patient style of batting is not ideally suited to limited overs cricket, Springer put a positive spin on the opener’s involvement.
The coach underlined the importance of having a batsman capable of anchoring the innings. He noted that in recent times, the typically defensive opener has seemingly looked to play more strokes than customary but even with his usual approach to batting there is a role for him to play.
“This is something I would like him to get back to because in a one day game, any type of game, Twenty20 included, I daresay you need someone to bat through the innings to set the tone to assist those guys who are coming in for the first time, a new batsman and so on,” said Springer.
Brathwaite, with 32 runs in three innings in the Super50, has been a part of an inconsistent batting unit this season and has struggled for runs in both formats in which he has played.
He was out for a first-ball “duck” on Sunday in the embarrassing day/night 59-run loss to CCC, who routed Barbados for a paltry 108 in response to their own modest total of 166.
Coach Springer, however believes that with his other assets, he can be successful in limited overs cricket but he needs to rediscover the patient approach for which he is so well known.
“He is a good runner between the wickets. When he is playing well he is able to rotate the strike. He does not score as quickly as the other guys but he is a welcome addition when it comes to one-day cricket. He just needs to get back to that part of his game,” Springer said.
In three Super50 matches this year, the highest score by a batsman representing Barbados, has been 38 not out by Jonathan Carter in the team’s lone victory against Guyana.
