… says vice-captaincy just a title, plans to continue role regardless 

By Clifton Ross 

WEST Indies new Test vice-captain Roston Chase said he’s unfazed by his recent appointment and is more focussed on his game and ensuring his team wrap up 2020 with success against the Kiwis. 

On the eve of the first warm-up game against the Kiwis A-team Chase, during a Windies virtual conference said that he had already been moulding his image as that of a senior team member both on and off the cricket field, making this now official appointment of Test vice-captain something he plans to continue respecting.

“I don’t feel any added pressure; I’ve always been one of the go-to guys in the team in terms of seniority. So it’s just a title for me, it’s not a difference in my doing anything else,”. said Chase.

Although the T20 series bowls off first, the real test will follow when the Test series gets underway and similar to how the West Indies have yet to win a T20 series in New Zealand; Chase believes that the longer format also poses its own challenges with batting and bowling being two huge areas of concern.

“Bowling-wise it’s always hard for a spinner in New Zealand. Being here before, we don’t usually get those returns that you would get in other countries. But I think batting is the more difficult of the two, seeing the experienced bowling attack New Zealand have. They make it very tough for touring teams to come down here and make those big scores that you see in other parts of the world, so I would put batting as a bit harder of the two,”.said the Bajan.

Regarded as the ‘Crisis Man’ of the West Indies Test team thanks to his grit, resiliency and class with bat and ball, more so for helping his team secure wins/draws; the all-rounder said he’s currently in the best space of his career and with 5 hundreds and 8 fifties under him, currently, he’s will be keen on capitalising during the upcoming assignment.

“I feel confident in my game right now. I’ve been working hard on my batting and bowling. I think I’ve reached that point in my career where I understand my game. That’s the first stepping stone, understanding your strengths and weaknesses and what you should and shouldn’t do at certain stages of the game and that’s the first part of me taking it to the next level.” the new vice-skipper pointed out.

A stocked bowling attack with pacers Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach, Jason Holder, Alzzari Joseph to name a few, the 28-year-old said more responsibility will need to be soaked up by their batters.

“I think our bowlers have been doing a brilliant job for us, but our batsmen have not been getting in big enough scores for them to bowl at, mainly in the first innings.

“First innings sets up a game for the whole Test match because when you put a team under pressure in the first innings with a good total, they will always be chasing the game and that’s a good thing to have opposition doing,

“It means you always have chances coming your way to win the game so I think we need to give our bowlers something to work with,” Chase ended.