Coach wants West Indies to show early intensity

Coach John Dyson urged West Indies to shake off a lacklustre start against England in the drawn third test and bring an early spark into the fourth test beginning on Thursday.

The home team enters the match at Kensington Oval clinging to a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after its last pair hung on for a tense draw in the third test in Antigua four days ago.

Disappointed

Dyson admitted he was disappointed with his players for not bringing the momentum of its innings victory in Jamaica’s opening test into Antigua, even allowing for the distraction of the abandoned second test that lasted 10 balls.

“I felt in Antigua that the first session of the game where we should have been really pumped up and aiming to really stamp ourselves on the match, we didn’t,” Dyson said. “It lacked that intensity. It lacked, I suppose, passion that we saw come out on the last afternoon when we had to fight like mad to survive.”

Then, tailenders Daren Powell and Fidel Edwards defied the visitors for 60 balls in a last wicket stand that preserved their team’s slim series lead.

West Indies was outplayed in Antigua but Dyson said neither team can claim it has the psychological edge at the moment.

“I don’t think any side has any great advantage in terms of momentum,” he said. “Both teams have played periods of excellent cricket and both teams have played some poor cricket.”

West Indies has had a stable buildup, naming the same squad of 13 and Dyson claims that the short break has revitalized the players.

“The boys have gone home and had their mum’s cooking. They really enjoyed that,” he said with a laugh. By contrast, England’s buildup has been disruptive.

A hip injury that ruled out allrounder Andrew Flintoff was quickly followed by the forced absence of No. 1 wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who flew back to England to be with his wife, Emily, and new baby son.

Extra batsman

Prior’s spot will be filled by reserve gloveman Tim Ambrose but the replacement for Flintoff is less straightforward.

The selectors are likely to include an extra batsman in either Ian Bell or Ravi Bopara but could also recall left-arm pacer Ryan Sidebottom if they opt to be aggressive and choose a five-man bowling attack.

BRIDGETOWN. Barbados (AP)