West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has labeled Alzarri Joseph’s conduct during the third ODI against England as “unacceptable” after the fast bowler left the field twice in the match, following a disagreement with captain Shai Hope.
The incident occurred during the fourth over of the innings in Bridgetown on November 6, when Joseph appeared visibly upset with a field placement decision. The bowler was seen remonstrating with Hope, but despite taking the wicket of Jordan Cox off the fourth ball, Joseph did not celebrate with his teammates. Instead, he walked off the field immediately after the over, heading to the dressing room without prior notice. This left West Indies with only 10 fielders on the ground at the start of the fifth over.
“Behaviour like that is unacceptable on my cricket field,” Sammy told TalkSPORT after the match. “We will be friends, but in the culture I’m trying to build, that’s unacceptable. We will definitely have a chat about that.”
Joseph returned to the field for the sixth over, though he did not resume bowling until the 12th. He bowled two overs, but after misfields in his next two overs led to overthrows and England picking up extra runs, he again left the field. Joseph returned once more later in the innings to complete his full quota of 10 overs, finishing with figures of 2 for 45, including wickets of Cox and Dan Mousley.
Sammy, who took over as West Indies head coach in May 2023, has become known for his strong man-management skills and his ability to have difficult conversations with players. He is credited with helping to bring several prominent players, including Andre Russell and Evin Lewis, back to international cricket.
“I pride myself on having the difficult conversations,” Sammy said. “But in a way that everybody understands what is needed to be done. To see guys going out there and slowly progressing in the right direction makes me proud.”
Despite Joseph’s behavior, West Indies secured a 2-1 series win over England. Sammy indicated that discussions with Joseph will take place, aiming to address his concerns while maintaining discipline within the squad.
Looking ahead, Sammy confirmed that several senior players, including Nicholas Pooran and Akeal Hosein, are expected to return for the upcoming five-match T20 series against England, which begins on November 9. West Indies’ T20 side is regarded as their most settled and successful team, with Sammy adding, “Our T20 team normally picks itself,” while also mentioning the inclusion of some younger players to provide exposure.
The West Indies’ victory in the ODI series has brought optimism to the squad, though the focus will now shift to maintaining discipline and consistency in the upcoming T20 fixtures.
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