Windies hoping to emulate Headingley 2017 performance: Phil Simmons

LONDON: West Indies coach Phil Simmons said that the West Indies are drawing strength from their previous tour of England. The series started with a crushing defeat at Edgbaston for the visitors but they followed that with a stunning win at Headingley where they chased down a target of 322.

"We are drawing on that. The Test match before Headingley we were horrible and that seems to be like that most times we go on tour. We are trying to make sure that bad match is taken out of the equation and we start properly," Simmons told the "Cricket, on the Inside" webinar in conjunction with the Lord's Taverners and Black Opal, on Friday.

"We are 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."

The win was fuelled by the batsmen, particularly the form that Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope discovered in both innings. Both batsmen have since had a lean run in Test cricket.

"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," Simmons 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.

"The next three days of practice is about sharpening up the skills. But mentality is the big thing."

The first Test of the upcoming series will be played at the Ageas Bowl from July 8. It is the first international cricket series to be played since the sporting calendar froze around mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic and all matches will be played without spectators. IANS 

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