West Indies coach Daren Sammy has described the behaviour of Alzarri Joseph as “unacceptable” after the fast bowler stormed off during the hosts’ ODI win over England.
A visibly furious Joseph left the field and marched up to the dressing room at the end of his second over after a disagreement with captain Shai Hope over his field placings.
The 27-year-old quick had extracted England’s Jordan Cox with a vicious bouncer earlier in the over but refused to celebrate with his teammates after the wicket.
With no substitute fielder ready to take his place, opening partner Matthew Forde was forced to bowl the fifth over with the West Indies a man short.
Joseph returned for the start of the next over but was hooked from the attack by Hope. He returned later to complete his allocation, taking 2-45 from ten overs as the West Indies sealed the series with an eight-wicket win.
The trials and tribulations of Alzarri Joseph...
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) November 6, 2024
3.1 overs: fuming at field placement
3.4 overs: bounces out Cox, doesn't celebrate
End of over: storms off in a huff 😅 pic.twitter.com/Qne366zs1a
“Behaviour like that is unacceptable on my cricket field,” former all-rounder Sammy said to Talksport afterwards of Joseph’s actions. “We will be friends…but in the culture I’m trying to build, that’s unacceptable. We will definitely have a chat about that.”
England were reduced to 24-4 with the home seamers rampant on a Kensington Oval surface pace, bounce and movement. While a fine hand from Phil Salt (74) and a maiden ODI fifty from Dan Mousley (57) helped them to recover to a respectable 263/8, centuries from Brandon King and Keacy Carty ensured that the West Indies romped home with 43 balls to spare.
Defeat for England prompts renewed questions over a young side’s readiness to compete in the 50-over format. Interim coach Marcus Trescothick is without most of the Test players for this white-ball tour, and a number of his squad are inexperienced in List A cricket.
“It has been a really challenging time for us,” Trescothick admitted to TNT Sports.
“Guys have just finished the Test series in Pakistan. There is another Test series starting in 20 days’ time. We know where we are. We have seen some things we have wanted to see.”
