… Windies, Pakistan teams arrive; GCB president says all systems in place
MANAGER of the  West Indies  team  Richie Richardson yesterday told a press briefing at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), that he is pleased with his team’s performance so far in their Digicel series against Pakistan, despite being down 3-1.
Both Pakistan and West Indies team, along with the match officials touched down at the CJIA on board a chartered REDjet flight at 15:05hrs and after receiving their Digicel SIM cards from the telecommunications service provider Marketing Manager Jacqueline James, Richardson expressed his thoughts to the media.
“We are very pleased with the way the team has performed at the moment. It has been a long time since they have won a one-day match against any of the top teams around the world and I must say they have been working real hard and we have seen improvements.
At the end of the day, that is what it’s all about. I don’t think we can have an instant turnaround in West Indies cricket, but at the end of the day, we are working hard towards getting the team back to the pinnacle of world cricket.”
The 49-year-old Richardson, who averaged 44.39 from 86 Test matches, where he accumulated 5 949 runs with 16 Test centuries and a top score of 194 against India, is optimistic his team will do well in the final match against the Pakistanis, at the Guyana National Stadium, tomorrow.
“Of course we are looking for a win. At the start of every match, we go out there looking for a win and certainly a win against Pakistan tomorrow would do our confidence good heading into the Test matches as well as the upcoming series against India.”
With regard to the blooding of new players in the team, Richardson, who led the West Indies 24 times during a four-year period, winning 11 matches before losing the 1995 home series to Australia – his lone series loss in his career – said there was good performances from the young players.
“We have seen young Bishoo in particular who came into the team during the ICC World Cup and performed remarkably well, along with Andre Russell who had a good World Cup as well, and we believe in due course, these players will come to the fore and become world class players.
Meanwhile, president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and long-serving director of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Chetram Singh said Guyana is ready to host the match, barring interruptions from the rain.
“Preparations, as far as I am concerned ha been spot on. Today is Tuesday (yesterday) and we are ready for this match, even if it was being played tomorrow (today). The venue is all set, tickets have been sold out, security is in place and there was a dry run at the venue with officials who would be playing a part on match day.
All in all, we are ready for Sunday and even if the rain, who tells us cricket is coming by showing its face last night, I hope it stays away on Thursday so that Guyanese who are starved for international cricket can enjoy a full day at the game,” said Singh.
The teams were met by Singh, GCB vice-president Faizal Bacchus, its secretary Anand Sanasie and Director of Sport Neil Kumar on their arrival and the West Indies team will have a practice session at the venue from 09:30hrs this morning.
Pakistan claimed the five-match series by virtue of winning the first two matches in St Lucia by eight wickets and the third in Barbados by three wickets, before they lost the rain-interrupted fourth one-day international by one run on the Duckworth/Lewis system.
The stars of the day for the Windies one-run win were leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who took 3-37 from 10 overs to continue his fine showing with the ball, and opener Lendl Simmons, with 76 from just 70 balls, maintaining his good run of form with the bat.