Shimron Hetmyer registered his highest Twenty20 International score, on Saturday evening, via a match-defining 61 from 36 balls which set up a comprehensive victory for West Indies over Australia in the second match in St Lucia.
Hetmyer cut loose in the latter part of the innings — turning 14 off 13 balls into 61 off 36; he brought up his second T20I half-century with a cheeky six from 29 balls. Speaking to Cricket West Indies media on Saturday evening, Hetmyer expressed his satisfaction for an innings he also described as well paced. “One of the best, if not the best. I think I paced it quite well, ran well between the wickets with myself and [Dwayne] Bravo, and try to run as much as I could in terms of not trying to think of hitting too many boundaries. Just hit the ball in the gaps and when the bad ball comes, put it away, it is something I have worked on, and I am happy it worked out”, the Guyanese expressed.
In the first match, the pugnacious left-hander made 20 from 25 balls, and it was that grafting innings that held the batting group together. West Indies won by 18 runs.
Hetmyer indicated he is making an effort to rotate the strike and bat longer since it is a role designated to him by the team.
He added, “It was basically playing like how the team really wanted me to play. At practice, I was told I am the person that needs to hold the team together straight down to the end, in terms of just being there, and accumulating and scoring as well. It is one I would play again, to be honest.” According to Hetmyer, he is now more conscious of spending more time at the crease and playing according to the situation.
“There is always more time than you actually think just to take it deep as possibly can and wait for the bad balls because that was one of the things I did well. I waited on balls that I thought I could have put away and I did, and even when I am not hitting boundaries, I get a single or two, and just get off the strike.” The Berbician, who lives under the microscope regarding his performances or lack thereof at times, along with fitness issues, has hailed captain, Kieron Pollard, as a calming and motivating influence.
At the pre-series media briefing, Pollard had asked for Hetmyer to be left out of the media and Hetmyer indicated, “I love that interview actually because for some reason I am always in the media whether good or bad, so it was really nice for him to say something like that.”
“He [Pollard] is someone I have vast respect for, he is a straight-up person and he just comes to me about how he wants me to go about my innings and picking a time when to come and speak and when not to in terms of letting you be yourself, and when he sees your kind of like drifting , he comes and says we want you to do this and that. Sometimes it feels pressured but it really helps me to calm myself down.”
Hetmyer and Dwayne Bravo added 103 in 10.1 overs for the fourth wicket which helped significantly in West Indies reaching 196-4. Hetmyer felt that partnerships are critical for the team going forward whether setting totals or chasing.
West Indies and Australia clash in the third match of the five-match series today from 19:30h. West Indies lead the series 2-0.