(CMC) – A year after West Indies won the Wisden Trophy for the first time in a decade, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel believes his side’s pace attack should stick to the game plan they executed in that home series in order to defeat England again and hold on to the title.
The 32-year-old who played a major part in that series which the home side won 2-1, said there was no reason to deviate from a winning strategy.

“I don’t think that the plans should shift too much from what we did in the Caribbean. What we did was successful. I don’t think that you should be fixing anything that is not broken,” he told reporters on Thursday afternoon via ZOOM link from Manchester where the team is preparing for next month’s three-Test series.

A veteran of 45 Tests since his debut at Lord’s in 2012, Gabriel is among the 11 reserves for the current tour which is being played in a “bio-secure” environment because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he is confident he can regain full fitness following ankle surgery.
“The ankle is good at the moment, no pain, no aches,” said Gabriel, who is currently in the Top 20 of the ICC Test Match Bowling rankings, with career-best match figures of 13 for 121.

“Right now, I think I’m about 85 to 90 per cent fit. In terms of bowling fitness and match readiness, I find I still have a little more work to do to in terms of rhythm, but that will come. Thankfully, we have at least three weeks before the first Test match so there is a lot of time still to continue the hard work.”

West Indies will also have two inter-squad warm-up matches here – a three-day match June 23-25 and a four-day match June 29-July 2 – before they travel to Southampton for the first Test which will be played July 8-12 at Ageas Bowl.

The second and third Tests bowl off here at Old Trafford, July 16-20 and July 24-28.
Although Gabriel is hoping to be among the 11 chosen for the first Test, he expressed confidence in the young fast bowlers in the squad, saying that from what he had seen since arriving here, they could “put anyone under pressure”.

Responding to questions about how he felt being among the reserves and not the main 14-man squad, particularly given that he is accustomed to being in the starting lineup, Gabriel said it was “a good experience”.

“There are a lot of young players coming through, young fast bowlers, and it’s exciting for West Indies cricket. So, I’m trying my best to – other than get myself prepared – lend any advice or any knowledge that I have, any experience that I can pass on, so they can take it into their game,” he said.

The Trinidadian also touched on the new International Cricket Council (ICC) rules banning the use of saliva on the ball as efforts are made to ensure the safety of players and staff, given the spread of the contagious COVID-19 which has infected more than 301 000 in the United Kingdom, including more than 42 000 who died.
Gabriel believes the saliva ban puts bowlers at a disadvantage, even though shining the ball with sweat will be allowed.

“It’s kind of hard to use sweat alone but it’s the new norm so you just have to get on with it and find a way to make it work,” he said.
The West Indies squad is living, training and play in a “bio-secure” environment during the entire seven weeks of the tour. The protocols will restrict movement in and out of the venues and the matches are being played without spectators.

Gabriel said such changes would take some adjusting to, but insisted they would not affect the intensity of the matches or dampen the West Indies’ enthusiasm.

“When you step on the field you’re playing for country and if you’re not going out there to give 100 per cent I don’t think you should be on the field. So, I don’t think anyone would be going on to go half-hearted. We came here to try and win a series and we’re gonna do the best we can and fight as hard as we can to win the series,” he assured.