3rd Test: Probably some careers are on the line, says Sammy

Windies skipper shoots warning after disappointing 2-0 series defeat to NZ

HAMILTON: West Indies captain Darren Sammy warned on Sunday that players' careers are on the line after his side slumped to a demoralising 2-0 series defeat at the hands of low-ranked New Zealand.

The Caribbean team, who came into the series ranked sixth, two places above the Black Caps, lost the third Test on Sunday by eight wickets following a resounding defeat by an innings and 73 runs in the second Test.

"We definitely cannot continue like this," said an exasperated Sammy after the loss in Hamilton — which meant New Zealand won a three-Test series for the first time in nearly eight years.

The tourists escaped with a draw in the first Test in Dunedin when rain wiped out the last session of play, with New Zealand poised for victory — the only time the West Indies have avoided defeat in their past five matches following two thumping innings' defeats in India.

"A lot of tough decisions have to be made,” he said. “Probably some careers are on the line. Could be mine as well.

"We've had sessions like this in the past three years. We do well in one session and don't back it up in the other.

"It's up to us, each individual as a batsman, to go out and if we have to get ugly runs, get it. Just do whatever is necessary to put the team in a good position, and we've not been able to do that.

"Sometimes we're moving forward but we take two steps forward and probably three or four backwards so I guess we're not really moving."

Sammy laments inability to forge partnerships

The West Indies had no answer to New Zealand's pace attack led by Trent Boult, who took 20 wickets at 15.40 in the series and Tim Southee, who claimed 18 scalps at 18.11.

Darren Bravo's first Test 218 and centuries from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin in the West Indies' first innings of the third Test were rare bright spots but around them wickets tumbled, as Sammy lamented an inability to forge partnerships.

"It's up to us as a batting unit, the two batsmen out there, to form a partnership and we were just not able to do that," he said.

"In any organisation you need to show that graph of improvement, and like the coach always says, if you keep doing the same thing over and over again [you can't] expect a different result."