"He gave a lot of confidence to the team" - Kraigg Brathwaite hails Shamar Joseph despite 10-wicket loss in AUS vs WI 1st Test
West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite has credited Shamar Joseph for lifting the entire team despite a ten-wicket loss to Australia in the 1st Test in Adelaide. The Barbadian predicts a bright future for Joseph and reckons he can do something quite special for the West Indies.
Joseph joined an elite list of cricketers to take a fifer on debut for the West Indies, and notably dismissed Steve Smith with his first ball. The right-arm seamer's haul of 20-2-94-5 kept Australia's lead to 95 after WI were bowled out for 188 on day 1.
Speaking after the match, Brathwaite said Joseph has given the West Indies self-belief and wants the tourists to enjoy themselves moving forward. He elaborated, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:
"[Joseph's] belief is amazing. If all the guys could have that that'd be great. But he's obviously a special, special guy and he gave a lot of confidence to the team as well when you see him playing his shots and for the batters I just want them to go out there and enjoy themselves. It's a great start to his international career and he has a bright future for the West Indies. I wasn't surprised. I really believe he's something special. And I was very happy for him."
The Guyanese also added crucial runs with the bat in the 1st innings in Adelaide, making a 41-ball 36, followed by a 13-ball 15 in the 2nd. Nevertheless, Nathan Lyon got him in both innings.
"We just got to produce some good pitches in the Caribbean" - Kraigg Brathwaite
The opening batter further stated the need to produce pitches at home that have more carry instead of those which start spinning from day 1. The 31-year-old added:
"I think one thing that would be great for us is we just got to produce some good pitches in the Caribbean. Some pitches that have some bounce so that we can produce more Shamar Josephs and not just a lot of spinners. Because pretty much in our first-class cricket in the first hour, the ball is spinning."
The 2nd Test begins on January 25th at the Gabba in Brisbane.