Collymore joins the chorus for fast pitches

Corey Collymore, the West Indies fast bowler, has joined his captain Brian Lara and others in calling for faster pitches in the Caribbean. Collymore lamented the docile nature of the surface at Warner Park Stadium where the third Test was played and likened it to that of the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia, the venue of the second Test.

He pointed out that there must be more encouragement for young fast bowlers such as the Barbadian pair of Fidel Edwards and Tino Best and Jamaican Jermaine Lawson, all of whom bowl in excess of 90 miles an hour. "It is not an easy surface to bowl on," the 28-year-old Collymore said. "There is not much difference to this wicket than the last wicket we played on (in St Lucia). I think it is something that we need to look at around the Caribbean if you have young fast bowlers.

"You have Fidel who has just been injured, you have Tino, Jermaine Lawson and these guys, and if you need fast bowlers in the West Indies team, you need proper wickets to bowl on."

Edwards sustained a hamstring injury in the first Test and is unlikely to play for the rest of the series, while Best and Lawson are yet to make an appearance despite a strong call from Lara after the second Test for at least one of them to be included.

This was Collymore's first Test series after he was sidelined because of knee surgery during the 2005 tour to Australia, where he bowled impressively. "It has been going okay. I think my pace is still a bit down and it's something I need to work on and get myself strong again, but so far I have been enjoying my cricket and enjoying myself."

There were fairly decent crowds on the first, third and fourth days but the turnout was quite disappointing compared to the virtual sell-out on May 23 when the first ever one-day international was played here, also featuring India.

"Quite honestly, probably the crowd could be a bit disappointing but for me personally, it is not a matter," Collymore said. "Crowd support is good obviously but for me personally, the crowd is not a problem. I am here to play cricket and cricket plays in the middle and not in the stands."