West Indies coach confident his charges can go far in World Cup

Coach of the West Indies cricket team, Roger Harper is confident that his charges can go very far in the upcoming 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.

Speaking during a press conference earlier today, Harper said that "once the team played consistent cricket throughout the World Cup campaign" that the West Indies "can go very far."

West Indies Management at briefing Photo © CricInfo

As for his expectations for the West Indies team, Harper said that they were going to "take it one game at a time," and that "the West Indies can beat any team on any given day."

Asked whether the inclusion of Brian Lara, who was absent from the recent tour of India and subsequent tour of Bangladesh, would upset the chemistry of the team, Harper said that "Brian will boost the performance of the team." Harper expressed his satisfaction with the way the camp has been going and would like his players to remain focussed ahead of the biggest competition of their sport -- the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Meanwhile, trainer Ronald Rogers said that the past week was spent on strength, endurance, flexibility, speed and agility. He emphasized the need for all the players to be in peek physical condition ahead of, and during the World Cup. Rogers said that all the players cleared physicals following the Christmas break.

Ricky Skerritt, manager of the West Indies cricket team was also in attendance and he too expressed his satisfaction with the way the preparatory camp was going. Skerritt said that the focus of the camp was to achieve optimum fitness and to enhance the players' performances.

Two warm-up day/night matches have been arranged for the team ahead of the departure from the Caribbean. The first match will be played on Thursday, 23rd January, while the other will be played on Sunday, 26th January, 2003. Both matches will be played at the Stanford Cricket Grounds and begin at 2:00pm. Two other warm-up matches have been arranged for the team in South Africa -- both against First Class oppositions.