Coach Franklin expects better from the Windies bowlers

BALAGOLLA, Sri Lanka (CMC) – West Indies bowling coach James Franklin is demanding better execution from his bowlers for the remaining two games of their One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka.

The West Indies lost the opening ODI on Sunday by five wickets using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after over three hours of play were lost due to heavy rain.

That means the Windies will need to win their final two games – the second of which is at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday – if they are to win the best-of-three series.

Franklin, the former New Zealand all-rounder, said he believes the West Indies have fallen behind in the bowling department.

“We were given a total that we felt we could defend and we got off to a great start with the ball. We had three wickets in that Powerplay reduced to eight overs and put Sri Lanka under a bit of pressure but they had a really significant one Partnering with captain Asalanka and debutante Madushka,” Franklin said.

“We probably weren’t that good with our execution with the ball yesterday [Sunday] – I think that will be the general thinking – and next game I think we can be a lot better with our execution, especially with our lengths.

“Look, we’re down 1-0 in this three-game series. We now have a few days to think and work on where our improvements lie for the next game.”

Franklin said the Windies expected a tough challenge against Sri Lanka, especially as the wickets were made for spinners.

And although he admitted the opening defeat was disappointing, he insisted the Windies still had a good chance of winning the series.

“We are on a journey as an ODI team and we need to keep improving and try to move up the rankings in the ICC table,” he said. “We come here to Sri Lanka – who have always been a good team in their own country and difficult to beat in their own conditions – so we know we face a big challenge in the next few games…

“Although yesterday was disappointing, we know we are still in this series, but we know we have a big game ahead of us on Wednesday and we just need to show our skills for longer.

“We know what surface we're going to get – it's going to be a very similar surface again – so we're going to prepare well today and tomorrow and make sure we're a little bit better with our execution or better with our execution with the ball.”