Walsh set for England

St. John's - West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh, who is nine wickets away from becoming Test cricket's most successful bowler, says he is available to tour England this summer.

'I'm available [for England], but it is up to the selectors and what they are looking for,' said Walsh, 37. 'England has always been a good hunting ground for me.'

Walsh played several seasons for Gloucestershire in the county championship until he was released from his contract last year.

The former captain said West Indies would have to play well against Zimbabwe and Pakistan in the forthcoming home series to approach the England visit with confidence.

'We have to set our standard by having a good home series. We have to shut up people by winning matches against Zimbabwe and Pakistan and go to England with confidence.'

Reflecting on the West Indies' dismal 2-0 Test series defeat in New Zealand late last year, where he failed to get the required wickets to break the world record, Walsh said he had put too much pressure on himself.

He said the absence of his great colleague and new ball partner Curtly Ambrose through injury had not helped.

'Probably, I tried too hard. Curtly was absent and I tried to be a stock and shock bowler,' Walsh said on Friday.

Commenting on the decline of West Indies batting, Walsh said the problem was not only at the Test level, but in domestic cricket as well.

'It is cause for concern. Teams were consistently scoring 350 runs, now they are only getting between 200 and 250.'

He singled out Jamaican Ricardo Powell, who played one Test in New Zealand, and Sylvester Joseph of the Leeward Islands as two batsmen for the future.

On the bowling side he was impressed with Reon King of Guyana and Barbados paceman Corey Collymore.