Windies should take heart from Headingley triumph: Phil Simmons
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|| Desk Report ||
West Indies head coach Phil Simmons said the visiting side must take heart from their famous Headingley win in 2017 when they will take on hosts England behind closed doors this week.
The tour opener of the three-match Tests series will begin at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton next Wednesday.
And Simmons said making sure they are mentally ready is the most important task for them.
Recalling the memories of the past tour, Simmons also said West Indies are drawing strength from the way they hit back from that first Test thrashing at Edgbaston in 2017 to claim a stunning victory in the second match at Headingley when they chased down 322.
“We’re drawing on that. The test match before Headingley we’re horrible and that seems to be like that most times we go on tour. We’re trying to make sure that bad match is taken out of the equation and we start properly,” said Phil Simmons.
“We’re playing against one of the best Test teams in the world and we need to start on the front foot. We’re trying to bring back memories of Headingley and get the psychology right,” told the ‘Cricket, on the Inside’ webinar in conjunction with the Lord’s Taverners and Black Opal, on Friday.
The head coach also feels that their batsman needs to be mentally tough to conquer England.
“I think the batters have worked hard on getting to a mental stage of where they need to be because most of them have scored runs here,” the West Indies coach said.
“(Shai) Hope has got back-to-back hundreds here. It’s about getting to the mental stage where you are prepared for a Test match in England, because it’s different to many other places,” he also said.
“The next three days of practice is about sharpening up the skills. But mentality is the big thing,” he added.
