{
    "id": "16768",
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    "title": "Australia to start as favourites says West Indies coach Phil Simmons",
    "lang": "en",
    "series": "106",
    "cup_year": "2016",
    "article_type": "General",
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    "editor1": "<p><strong>Georgetown (Guyana), June 2\u0964<\/strong> West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has downplayed their chances in the tri-nations series starting here on Friday, but said it would be a mistake to underestimate his side.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The West Indies are poised to clash with One-Day world champions Australia and the powerful South Africa side from June 3-26 in Guyana, St. Kitts and Barbados, reports CMC.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>However, the hosts are ranked eighth in One-Dayers, 36 points behind table leaders Australia, with the Proteas 24 points ahead in the third spot.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;They are number one and three in the world for a reason so we need to get up there and that&rsquo;s the reason we need to play these teams so we can see where we are. Especially if we beat them we know we&rsquo;re somewhere close to them,&rdquo; Simmons told reporters here on Wednesday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;The number one team in the world has to be the favourites going into the tournament but that&rsquo;s the thing, I don&rsquo;t think we were favourites in India at the T20 World Cup so you play the game as you see it.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The West Indies open their campaign against South Africa on Friday at the National Stadium here and follow up with a clash against the Australians on Sunday at the same venue.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The West Indies have not played a One-Day at the venue in nearly four years but have had mixed results at the stadium, winning four of eight contests.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>Simmons was, however, divided on whether the National Stadium would provide an advantage to his side.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&quot;I don&rsquo;t know about home advantage. It&rsquo;s been a while since games have been played here so I don&rsquo;t know about home advantage,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;Usually you get good wickets here, great outfield, good crowd so it could be a little bit of home advantage. But how we do determines which side the crowd gets on.&quot;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&ldquo;Here you can get big scores, chase down big scores and that&rsquo;s all it is. A good wicket is a wicket that everybody and can bat and bowl and get good scores for the people to watch.&rdquo;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>The series is the first for the West Indies since winning the Twenty20 World Cup in India in April.<\/p>\r\n",
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