Ben Gardner marks the West Indies players out of 10 after the T20 World Cup champions went down 3-2 to South Africa in a T20I series at home.
5 matches
Evin Lewis – 7.5
178 runs @ 35.60, SR: 160.36
A blistering, unbeaten 71 in the opening game was perhaps the innings of the series, and while Evin Lewis only passed 30 on one other occasion, a happy habit of first-over sixes meant he always gave the West Indies’ innings early impetus.
Kieron Pollard – 4.5
66 runs @ 22, SR: 143.47; 1 wicket @ 60, ER: 7.50
Kieron Pollard started with two scores of one, but he was instrumental in West Indies’ victory in the fourth, taking his side from 101-6 to an eventually match-winning 160-plus score with a 25-ball 51, and then chipped in with a wicket in the chase. His 15-ball 13 dragged the Windies down in the decider however, and his dismissal sparked the series-losing collapse.
Nicholas Pooran – 3
71 runs @ 17.76, SR: 104.41
An uncharacteristically poor series, including a 28-ball 26 in a game West Indies lost by a run, was only partly salvaged by a 14-ball 20 in the decider. His penultimate-over dismissal in that game ensured South Africa would take home the spoils.
Andre Russell – 4
25 runs @ 15.50, SR: 151.21; 4 wickets @ 33.50, ER: 9.57
A blistering cameo in the opener came with the game already in the bag, and while his 16-ball 25 in the third T20I should have been enough to seal victory, he will still be frustrated not to have seen the game home. Russell was used as a genuine bowling option in the series, bowling at least two overs in each game, but apart from in the fourth, when he dismissed Aiden Markram and David Miller to take 2-30, he was always among West Indies’ most expensive bowlers.
Dwayne Bravo – 8.5
10 wickets @ 13.10, ER: 6.89; 11 runs @ 5.50, SR: 122.22
An excellent series from a bowler who, even at 37 years old, remains a canny and reliable operator, and often much more. Bowling largely at the death, Bravo only conceded more than eight an over on one occasion, while his 4-19 in the fourth T20I was exemplary.
Obed McCoy – 8
9 wickets @ 15.66, ER: 7.05
The left-arm quick is one of the least established members of the West Indies side, but did his T20 World Cup hopes no harm with consistently economic, incisive returns.
4 matches
Fabian Allen – 5.5
2 wickets @ 38; ER: 7.60; 67 runs @ 67, SR: 197.05
The left-arm spinner had an excellent start to the series, taking 2-18 from four overs in the opener, but those were his only wickets of the encounter, and he was increasingly expensive in the next two games, unused with the ball in the fourth, and left out of the fifth. With the bat, he consistently gave West Indies strong finishes, and though two of his three knocks came in lost chases, in both he gave his side hope where previously there was none.
Chris Gayle – 2.5
56 runs @ 18.66, SR: 119.14; 1 wicket @ 26, ER: 6.50
Apart from a low-pressure cameo in the first T20I, pushing the Universe Boss down to first-drop is an experiment that continues to reap unwanted results. His trial as an opening bowler in the final two games proved intriguing.
3 matches
Lendl Simmons – 5
72 runs @ 24.00, SR: 116.12
Recalled from the third T20I onwards, Lendl Simmons made a stodgy 22 in the third game, with West Indies losing by a run, but compiled an important 47 in the fourth.
Shimron Hetmyer – 4
57 runs @ 19.00, SR: 107.54
Little to write home about, with a 10-ball 17 in his first knock counterbalanced by two slow knocks in his next two games.
Jason Holder – 5
36 runs @ 18.00, SR: 116.12; 2 wickets @ 36.50, ER: 8.11
Improved with the ball as the series went on, while the experiment of a promotion to No.3 may well bear repeating.
Kevin Sinclair – 4
2 wickets @ 36.50, ER: 8.11
A poor first outing – 0-21 in two overs – a good second game – 2-23 in four – and an indifferent third – 0-29 in three. Still, these are early days in his international career, and there’s plenty to work with.
Two matches
Andre Fletcher – 3.5
65 runs @ 32.50, SR: 118.18
Helped get West Indies’ chase off to a flier in the opener, but sucked the life out of their pursuit in the second.
Fidel Edwards – 4
2 wickets @ 20.00, ER: 8.00
Expensive in his first game, incisive in the second.
One match
Akeal Hosein – 1.5
0 wickets, ER: 12.00
A debut to forget. His second ball was smashed for six by Quinton de Kock, and his second over for 14 by Aiden Markram, before being at the crease for the last rites of West Indies’ series-losing defeat.