Garner refutes Bravo's claims of disorganisation in West Indies camp

Abu Dhabi (UAE), Oct 5 (IANS) West Indies cricket team manager Joel Garner has rejected as "misleading" veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo's claims of disorganisation in the regional side.

Garner said the team management is "disappointed but not surprised" by Bravo's comments, reports CMC.

The charges and counter-charges between Bravo and Garner came on the heels of ordinary performances by the West Indies which have resulted in their losing all five limited overs games played so far against Pakistan in the UAE.

"The management of the West Indies team in Dubai is disappointed but not surprised by the comments made in the press by Dwayne Bravo," Garner said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Mr Bravo, with prior permission, by the former head coach, turned up on the day before the first Twenty20 match. His suggestion of disorganisation in the team's plans and preparation is, therefore, false and misleading."

Apart from suffering a whitewash in the three-match T20 series, the West Indies have already lost two of the three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and are in danger of losing the final also on Wednesday.

"I was there in Dubai and basically players were lost, the management team looked lost ? we were looking like school kids again," Bravo had said earlier.

"The team meetings had no sort of positive input or anything like that. It was like we were just there."

But Garner, a former West Indies pace bowling great, has said the team was "well prepared" to play Pakistan.

He added that part of the preparation included a session on September 10 and 11 in Barbados for physical screening and fitness assessment.

Garner also pointed to a seven-day build-up to the first T20 match against Pakistan which included a warm-up match.

"This team was well prepared to engage Pakistan considering the conditions and the adjustments that were necessary to bring meaningful benefits to this team. Whilst change is difficult to manage, none of the players were neglected by the coaching and support staff in the execution of their duties," said Garner.

"The team's preparation consisted of acclimatisation, recovery sessions, strength and conditioning, nets and skill sets, management planning meeting which were supported by video footage of the opposition, bullet point reminders and input from our experienced coaching staff and inclusive of the T20 and ODI captains and the players."

Bravo also contended that the West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) decision to sack head coach Phil Simmons on the day of the squad's departure for Dubai had left the Caribbean side demoralised.

But Garner did not react to these comments.

--IANS

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