ST. JOHN'S, Antigua, CMC:
THE WEST Indies cricketers enter the next phase of their preparation for the World Cup in South Africa next month when they begin match-simulation practice today at the new Stanford Cricket Ground in Antigua.
"What we want to do is try and simulate conditions here," coach Roger Harper said yesterday as the players enjoyed a day-off.
"We will try and get our players familiar with certainly the pitch conditions (we are likely to face in South Africa) as well other aspects of our game - batting, bowling and sharpening our fielding.
"From a strategic point of view, we will be working on the important aspects of one-day cricket that we think we need to implement effectively during the World Cup."
Harper said ex-Windies great, Andy Roberts, who will be assisting with the coaching of the bowlers, has been instrumental in the preparation of the pitch.
"He (Roberts) will be co-ordinating with the (ground staff) and he understands we will like to have conditions as close as possible to those in South Africa.
"The pitches in South Africa tend to have a quite a bit of bounce and they very good carry and there is also a little bit of lateral movement," the coach said.
The 15-man squad plus five reserves along with guest players from Antigua will be engaged in two day/night practice matches on Wednesday and Sunday.
Harper said the games were planned knowing that their first two matches against hosts South Africa and Sri Lanka will be day/night fixtures.
The West Indies will also come up against New Zealand, Kenya and Bangladesh in their group.
For the first week of their camp, the players concentrated on personal development and fitness sessions with trainer Ronald Rogers at the Jolly Beach hotel, utilising a gym and a pool as well as the services of American Bob Wieland, the motivational speaker, who lost both in legs in Vietnam in 1969.
"I think the players are in pretty good spirits coming off the tour of Asia where after the first couple of Test matches we certainly rebounded very well and played some good cricket right until the end to come back and win that one-day series against India.
"I think it is no mean feat to win anything in India. It isn't easy. And to come back from the defeats of the first two Test matches showed remarkable character and spirit by the young players.
"We carried on from there and played good cricket in Bangladesh and I think everyone is in pretty good spirits. Everyone is confident.
"We understand conditions in South Africa will be different. We have to adjust and to adapt to them and do it quickly. But I think we are ready for the challenge."
Harper said the team's goal is to win the World Cup for the first time since 1979.
"That's our ultimate objective. We have to take it one step at a time. I think that has to be our approach. I don't think we can go looking at the World Cup.
"We go there look to win each match and I think if we do that we'll give ourselves a very good chance of winning that trophy."
Captain Carl Hooper and manager Ricky Skerritt have also expressed similar sentiments.
