West Indies Test skipper Jason Holder has stated the team let themselves down by losing wickets in clusters in the second Test which England won at the Old Trafford.
Despite half-centuries from Shamarh Brooks (62) and Jermaine Blackwood (55) and a fighting 35 from Holder, West Indies on Monday succumbed to a 113-run defeat as England levelled the ongoing three-Test series 1-1.
Stuart Broad was the star of the innings for England as he scalped three crucial wickets while Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes and Dominic Bess picked up two wickets each to bundle out the visitors for 198.
“We’re disappointed with the result,” Holder said during the post-match presentation. “We have let ourselves down. England played a good game of cricket so they deserve all the credit.
“We could have stretched the game yesterday (Day 4), but that’s when we let ourselves down and lost wickets in clusters. England bowlers challenged our batters a lot, stuck to their tasks, and held their lengths.
“The batters got caught in the crease; we need to get forward or back and make sure we are decisive about playing or leaving and also with our footwork. We have a few days left to ponder these things. It’s a short-term problem, honestly. We need to understand scenarios better,” Holder added.
The visitors need to just end the series in a draw to retain the Wisden Trophy as they had won the last series between the two teams in Caribbean Islands.
Holder also said that the team is experienced enough to get back up from this defeat and challenge Joe Root and Co. in the third and final Test beginning Friday at the same venue.
“I remember we passed the bat a few times and put down chances, and we need to make sure that doesn’t happen in the final Test. We are experienced enough,” Holder said.
“After a long layoff, we are getting used to the workload, and we just have to see how the bowlers pull up before the last game.
“We are here to fight, I know the guys are feeling this loss, and we’ll give it everything in this last game,” he added.