King defends team against charges of poor attitude

Bennett King, the West Indies coach, defended his cricketers against claims by Michael Holding, former fast bowling great, of an attitude problem, just days before the opening Test against Australia.

Holding has criticised the current touring party, accusing the squad of not focusing on cricket and on representing the West Indies. He said the attitude problem would lead to the Caribbean tourists being demolished in all three Tests against Australia. The West Indies have not won a Test in Australia since February 1997.

Holding said, "I'm concerned about their general focus. They aren't focused on their game enough, they aren't focused on representing the Windies enough."

Holding, in Australia as a television commentator on the series, pointed to the disciplining of fast bowler Tino Best last week over a training incident as an example of the lax attitude within the squad.

But King stood up for his players and questioned Holding's knowledge of the contemporary Windies squad.

"He's not privy to the group now I don't think," King told a lunch. "The group actually works really hard and I think publicly they're getting more acceptance.

"The more things they do right publicly, I think the better they'll be accepted as well." King, who came to the West Indies job last year after coaching stints with Queensland and the Australian Cricket Academy, said his squad was happy, competitive and dedicated.

"I think you'll see a change in their fortunes sometime, but certainly it's quite young in their development."

The West Indies had the better of Queensland in their four-day warm-up match ahead of Thursday's Test with the Queenslanders having to scramble to get a draw after the tourists amassed 612 in their only innings.

King said Marlon Samuels had improved his Test selection chances by scoring a first-innings double century and taking five wickets with his off-spinners. Wavell Hinds will definitely miss the Brisbane Test with a broken finger, opening up the opportunity for Samuels.

King said he expected key batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan to overcome a knee injury while Daren Powell and batting superstar Brian Lara, both suffering various niggles, would also be fit to play.