Windies search for winning formula

Published February 9, 2006

AUCKLAND, Feb 8: West Indies cricket coach Bennett King is looking for an upturn in form as his side arrived in New Zealand. They have not beaten a major Test nation away from home since visiting New Zealand 11 years ago and did not win a match on their trip in 1999.

“It’s another big tour and more big opportunities. We are focused on playing good, hard cricket,” said King.

The tour opens with a Twenty20 game on Feb 16 before five One-day Internationals and three Tests.

West Indies suffered a 3-0 Test series whitewash in Australia late last year, leading to an ongoing official review of King’s job.

West Indies didn’t have a pre-tour camp, but King said the team was ready having just completed round-robin play in the domestic competition.

He wasn’t expecting the New Zealanders to be pushovers.

The first of three Tests will begin on March 9 in Auckland, by which time Brian Lara, Devon Smith and fast bowler Daren Powell will have joined the side.

Lara, Test cricket’s greatest run-maker, was no longer playing one-dayers to prolong his Test career.

Test squad: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Devon Smith, Brian Lara, Runako Morton, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Rawl Lewis, Ian Bradshaw, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell.

One-day squad: Chanderpaul (captain), Sarwan (vice-captain), Gayle, Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Morton, Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Ramdin, Lewis, Bradshaw, Edwards, Taylor, Deighton Butler.—Agencies

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