Lara: Time for West Indies to perform overseas

As the West Indies squad assembled in Antigua to begin their five-day preparation before starting series in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Brian Lara spoke to the media about the need for his side to end their recent poor overseas record.

"We have to go down there and make sure we take command of a very tough tour," explained Lara. "They are good teams. We know that they are playing at home and we are playing away. We have got to muster up everything collective to ensure we do well in South Africa.

"We have been at the bottom for some time. They [the side] tasted success against Australia and Sri Lanka; the feeling of been successful; of creating history that they seem to want to cling onto."

Lara said that while West Indies' batting had been good, the side's weakness had been the inability to bowl opponents out twice. "It is something we will have to address. It is all well and good to score 500-600 runs but if you can't get the opposition out you are not going to win any Test match."

Although the selectors have chosen a battery of fast bowlers for the trip, Lara dismissed suggestions that they were trying to recapture the approach which served West Indies so well in the late 1970s and 1980s. "I'm not going to say that we are leaning towards four fast bowlers in a Test match but definitely we are going to give the guys who we think are possible stars that opportunity," he said. "We have been known for four fast bowlers and we are going to exploit that. It would be great to have a good spinner ... but unless that comes about you best stick with what you know."

Lara hinted that promising youngsters would be given every chance to prove themselves. "I think the opportunity is there for anyone who really wants to represent West Indies cricket and anyone who shows that they have the character to do so."