The Hindu : W. Indies makes some progress, but still...

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 05, 2002

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Sport - Cricket

W. Indies makes some progress, but still...

St George's (Grenada) July 4. ``Has made progress but could still do much much better.'' That's the end of term report for West Indies' cricket after a season that began so promisingly with a Test series victory over India, but ended in disappointment as it lost a two-match series 0-1 to New Zealand.

Caribbean cricket lovers have suffered too much in recent years to discern real progress in their team's performance but there's little doubt that things have got better.

``It's the discipline we lack, the organisation and the concerted will to win,'' former Test opener Joey Carew told AFP after the second Test at Queen's Park here ended in a washed-out draw.

Coach Roger Harper agreed, paying tribute to the New Zealanders' collective will to win and their refusal to cave in on Tuesday when the prospect of defeat suddenly opened up.

Most West Indians agree that they have some of the world's finest batsmen, but that they lack bowlers who can win matches.

The batting is undoubtedly returning to something like its best but the team revealed its complete lack of mental preparation when it threw away the first Test by batting like one-day players and being bowled out for 107.

The West Indies had just completed a 10-match spell of one-day games against India and New Zealand when it arrived in Bridgetown, Barbados, for the first Test, so there was obviously work to do on the switch over to the five-day game. But the West Indies players never seemed anyway near as committed to the work ethic in training as their New Zealand opponents.

Kiwi coach Dennis Aberhart would rush his players off to nets as soon as they arrived at a destination while the West Indies' schedule seemed far more relaxed. Nevertheless, batsman like Chris Gayle, Brian Lara, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are all world class.

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