Cricket: Windies promise pace blitz

By RICHARD BOOCK

CHRISTCHURCH - The West Indian cricketers wasted no time issuing the customary warnings about the threat of their pace attack when they arrived in New Zealand yesterday.

The tourists rejected suggestions their relatively inexperienced bowlers would struggle on the tour, comprising two tests and five one-day internationals, and instead claimed the early-season conditions in New Zealand could play into their hands.

Bunkered down against Christchurch's wintry blast last night, the West Indies begin the tour with a Max international against New Zealand on Friday night, and play first-class games against New Zealand A and Auckland before the first test in Hamilton starts on December 16.

Represented at their first press conference by coach Sir Vivian Richards, manager Clive Lloyd and captain Brian Lara, the West Indies are rebuilding following the 0-5 test series loss against South Africa last season, with this their first test series abroad since the visit to the republic.

Lara was far more concerned about the productivity of his batsmen than the penetration of his bowlers, who he believed would prosper on the slowish, but seaming pitches in New Zealand.

"Our problems haven't been with the bowlers," he said. "I'd imagine the bowlers would be looking forward to this series because the pitches here always provide a little bit of assistance, and they're well-equipped to make use of that.

"The problem has been with the batsmen, and in that regard the early games of this tour are especially important to us - so players can stake a claim for a test position."

Lara said while a lot of attention had recently been paid to Courtney Walsh's bid for a world record of test wickets, Walsh himself was still driven by the single motivation of playing well for his country.

Walsh has 423 test wickets, eight fewer than Sir Richard Hadlee and 11 shy of Kapil Dev's record of 434.

"I just want to say that, although there's been a lot of noise made about Courtney's record, it's not being made by him," Lara said. "It's been made by us - his team-mates, his supporters, and by the media.

"What Courtney Walsh is all about is the West Indies. He started ages ago it seems and is still the epitome of loyalty, commitment and determination. The record's far more important to us than it is to him."

Richards said the West Indies were in a transitional phase, with a number of inexperienced players, and would have to play "extremely well" to topple New Zealand in their own conditions.

"It's a tough tour, New Zealand," he said. "It's always been a hard proposition. There's a need to acclimatise and to make adjustments as players, and the home side are always very competitive.

"But our guys will adapt. We hear we're supposed to be down the bottom of the heap these days, but our record doesn't suggest that."

The man who never lost a series as West Indies captain cautioned fans at home to be realistic at this stage of the team's development.

"A lot of people expect miracles, but they have to understand that the team is going through a transition period."