THE West Indies will be without the services of Guyanese fastbowler Shamar Joseph for the third and final One-day international (ODI) versus Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka on October 26, as the 25-year-old will return home for personal reasons.
With West Indies also scheduled to return to the Caribbean in a few days after the completion of the Sri Lanka tour, Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed no replacement will be named for Joseph.
Joseph played all three matches in the preceding Twenty/20 international series as the West Indies fell to a 2-1 loss – taking two wickets in the process. He didn't feature in the first two ODIs and is yet to make his debut in the format.
With the Windies down 2-0 in the ODI series and already conceding another series defeat to the hosts after average batting displays in the first two games, middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford says the regional team's batsmen need to be patient and bat for longer periods on the turning pitches they have been faced with in Pallekele.
In both games, the left-handed Rutherford was a cut above his teammates. He smashed an unbeaten 74 off 82 balls in the first ODI before a lengthy rain delay cut his innings short. He then struck an ODI best 80 off 82 in the second ODI on October 23 after giving the Windies innings respectability with a 119-run stand for the ninth wicket with his Guyanese countryman Gudakesh Motie (50 not out off 61).
After a five-wicket loss in the first ODI, the Windies surrendered meekly in the second encounter as the hosts got another facile five-wicket win as they chased a 190-run target.
"Moving forward, I think it's just about trying to spend more time at the crease. We have a good bunch of guys. There's no doubt we'll come back stronger," Rutherford told CWI media after the second ODI.
"The surface for the second ODI was a used surface so it spun a bit more than the previous game. I think it was just about...trying to absorb some pressure. When the opportunities are given to score, you have to make sure you pounce on them."
Though the Sri Lankan spinners have seized the upper hand in the tour after the West Indies' win in the first T20 on October 13, Rutherford said the Caribbean team's batsmen need to get out of survival mode and find ways to score effectively.
"It's just about adapting faster, and hopefully we can win the last one," he said.
Rutherford's refreshing partnership with Motie was the highest ninth-wicket partnership for the Windies in the ODI format and the fourth-best in ODI history.
Still young in his ODI career with just five matches to his name, the 26-year-old Rutherford said personal accolades need to take a back seat as he and his teammates try to avoid a series sweep.
"It's a team sport...they are very hungry and excited for the third game so I know the guys will come and put their best foot forward."
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