Lara positive about prospects for First Test

After the expected draw against Auckland in the last first class game before the first Test against New Zealand, Brian Lara, the West Indies captain, was very pleased about the effort, and positive about how he thinks things will go for the first Test. That Test starts on Thursday next, three days from today.

Here is the text of his press conference immediately after the game against Auckland, the last before the first Test.

(BL = Brian Lara. SJ = Sports Journalists including Colin Croft)

SJ: Well Brian, even though we had a bit of rain and no result in the game, it was a pretty useful exercise against Auckland?

BL: Yes, definitely. We batted first on a pretty moist tract. We recovered well after losing four early cheap wickets. I think we used the practice well in the first innings. It was tough on the bowlers, though, as it was a good batting track after the first two hours or so. The batters in the second innings also showed well, with no-one getting out and two guys getting hundreds, so it was quite good.

SJ: The performances of Sherwin Campbell in particular, a century in both innings. That must be really encouraging for the team leading into the test series?

BL: Of course. It is very nice to know that one of our key players is getting among the runs early in the plot. Not only that, but some of the other batsmen have also been doing well for themselves, getting half centuries along the way. We have scored four centuries so far, I think, so the confidence is pretty high in the camp.

SJ: What about yourself, Brian, did you feel the need for a bat today, seeing that you are the only top batsman in the team who does not yet have a substantial score so far?

BL: Oh, I would have loved to have gotten a knock. If we had a full day's play, it would have been much better. However, the confidence that is present in the team will do well for everyone, especially mentally, and I think that those who have missed out so far could lean on the other gays so that some of that confidence could rub off. We are going to try to get as much net practice as possible between now and Thursday. We have guys here who have played many Test matches before, and scored runs on big occasions, so I do not think that a lack of runs leading into a Test match is a serious problem. I prefer to think that the total amount of runs that have been scored is good for us.

SJ: The performances of Darren Ganga and Campbell would have helped somewhat in sorting out the Test selections, or do you still have headache, perhaps still a few spots to fill?

BL: I think that it may have created more of a headache, but it is a great feeling to know that you have every batsman and every bowler competing for a spot. Ganga is now on his second tour, having been to South Africa, but he has just gotten his first century for the West Indies, so that is good. The competitiveness is high. I think that we still have to sort things out in the nets over the next couple of days to sort out what the final eleven would look like. With more guys in form, it is better for us.

SJ: What about the bowling point of view. Anything sorted out there from the team's recent bowling performances?

BL: No, I think that the two fast bowlers used in the first warm up game, Dillon and Walsh, would also have a say. Walsh of course, I can say, is a certainty unless some late injury happens. Dillon also bowled well and the fast bowlers in this game also bowled well under tough conditions, as the pitch was really good for batting. They stuck to their tasks, each of them bowling in excess of 30 overs. That was good and the bonus was that they have come through this without injury. I am quite happy handling this situation coming on to the test.

SJ: Nehemiah Perry also had a long and impressive bowl, so I suppose that you will not make a decision on him and the bowling line up until you have had a look at the wicket in Hamilton.

BL: Yes, the look of the pitch will play a major part. We have two spinners and between them they have played only few matches, about five, for the West Indies. We actually won four of those Test matches. Variation is definitely on the cards. The tract will dictate, but at least we have an off spinner and a leg spinner and five fast bowlers here. It is a very hard job for the selectors to make the correct choices, to select the final four bowlers. It will take a lot of thought before we could make the final decisions.

SJ: Sherwin Campbell is listed as "retired hurt". He did get a knock on the leg, didn't he?

BL: Yes, but it was more precaution than anything else. He is going to be okay for the Test. We have two days to get it all right. The Test matches are what we are here for. We are all looking forward to it. As a sportsman, you will never be 100% fit, but as long as you are close to that, you will play.

SJ: The pitches here are a bit slower and perhaps less bouncy than those in the Caribbean or even Australia. Are there any adjustments that you would suggest for your fast bowlers?

BL: First of all, I do not think that these pitches here in New Zealand are slower than those in the Caribbean. The pitches back in the Caribbean have become very slow and dry. The difference here is that on the first morning, there is much more help given to the bowlers than in the Caribbean. The tracks in the Caribbean are pretty dry and have become extremely flat over the last few years. There must be some adjustment here, as these conditions remind me of May or June in England, when the pitches are very freshened with grass and moisture, conditions with which some of our guys are not too familiar. It is nice, though, to see the guys putting their heads down and getting some runs, despite the conditions.

SJ: Are you particularly encouraged by the response of the younger players, those with no real international or Test experiences?

BL: Definitely. We have gone with a lot of youngsters for this tour. The enthusiasm is there. The guys seem to want to learn. They want to obviously improve their game and they have been going out there and performing well. That is good. Okay, we have experienced guys in the team, but this is a team game, so we will always need the additional energy from the inexperienced guys. These young guys are pulling their weight.

SJ: Your practice sessions have been excellent. Has Viv Richards, as the new coach, brought anything new, anything different, to the team?

BL: Viv has brought himself. He speaks from deep within whenever he speaks. Obviously, he has been a player of great ability and his presence has had a tremendous effect on the guys, as the great respect for him and his performances go before him. He tells it as he sees it and there is great pride coming back into our game. We think that he has done a tremendous job since his arrival. We hope that we can reap the fruits of his presence here for the future.

SJ: The West Indies have not won an away (overseas) Test series for more than five years. You must be thinking about that, but would two Test matches be enough to settle in and win?

BL: Yes, one Test match is sufficient. A series is made up of more than one Test, but this is how the itinerary has been set up, so we could only use the time we have to win. We have just got to make do. We only have two Test matches, so we will have to analyze things quickly and make sure that we are ready from the get-go. Winning the first Test would be nice, as then we would not lose the short series. All it takes is concentration for the ten days of Test cricket in December.