Chase Targets Home Fortress Ahead of Test
West Indies Test captain Roston Chase says the team is “very confident” and “exactly where we want to be” ahead of the second and final Test against Pakistan, which begins on Sunday in Port of Spain.
Not only that, but Chase, fresh from leading the West Indies to two wins in three Tests in a month, wants to “make home our fortress, where we make it very difficult for teams to come to the Caribbean and beat us.”
There’s a reason to be confident. Sri Lanka lost by an innings and 217 runs in the first Test of the series, with the second drawn, and Pakistan was defeated by 90 runs last week.
The West Indies have made progress on the WTC table, but are no longer in contention for the final. A win in the second Test would propel them to seventh place, surpassing England.
After last year’s performance [West Indies won one and lost eight], we sat down with the plan and determined that this is where we want to be. And, as I previously stated, we have arrived at our desired destination.
“We want to level up,” Chase told reporters at Queen’s Park Oval on Friday. “We want to come into this second Test without taking anything for granted, and just go through the procedures that we’ve discussed.
We intend to come and execute them to the best of our abilities. “Aim for the second victory. “We feel really blessed and satisfied with the results we’ve had at home thus far.
But I want to build our fortress, making it extremely tough for teams to come to the Caribbean and defeat us. Because we created the conditions, we are intimately familiar with them and outperform the competition.
So I believe we want to make the most of our home advantage, which we have done effectively thus far. So, as I previously stated, we are fortunate to maintain our current form and win this second game.”
Pakistan has now lost eight Tests away from home in a row, across Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, and now the West Indies, which boosts the West Indies’ confidence.
The surface at the Queen’s Park Oval may bring spin into action in a much larger proportion than at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
The primary spinner for the West Indies is Jomel Warrican, with Chase serving as a backup.
Chase was unable to bowl during the first Test due to a finger injury.Chase claimed his damaged right index finger is improving. “Hopefully, I will be ready to bowl by Sunday.
I bowled two overs at the nets today. There is still some soreness. But I think by Sunday, I’ll be able to bowl four to five overs consistently.”
If spin does play a role, Pakistan will be pleased. They had Ali Usman as their lone spinner in Tarouba, but now have Sajid Khan and Salman Agha on the roster. The West Indies also have Joshua Bishop, an underused and uncapped left-arm spinner, to fall back on if necessary.
