Sport

Redemption time!

West Indies batsman Narsingh Deonarine is bowled for 29 runs by Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan during the second Test at Kandy. - dellmar

kandy, sri lanka, cmc

WEST INDIES ARE looking to put their dismal performance in the Test series against Sri Lanka behind them, and focus on playing more competitively in the upcoming three-nation limited-overs international series.

West Indies lost the two-Test series against Sri Lanka 2-0, after a six-wicket defeat in the first Test at Colombo's Singhalese Sports Club, and a 240-run loss in the second and final Test yesterday at the Asgiriya Stadium here.

They join the hosts and India for the three-nation competition that opens on Saturday at the International Stadium in Dambulla, where the other two teams will contest the opener in a day/night fixture that will be carried "live" on CMC CricketPlus from 4 a.m. (East Caribbean Time).

"In the shorter version of the game, the guys should be much more competitive because their lack of experience should not show like it did in the Test series, and they are much more accustomed to playing limited-overs cricket at home, so it should be better for us," Chanderpaul told CricketPlus yesterday.

Positive cricket

"We will be looking to go out there, and play some positive cricket to redeem ourselves. Everybody has shown the commitment to the hard work that is necessary for success, and we are all keen to put this Test series defeat behind us. Limited-overs cricket is a different brand of the game, and we want to do well."

Chanderpaul identified some of the improvements he saw in his side during the Test series which he hoped would continue and advance in the limited-overs series.

"Our fielding, in particular our catching, was very, very good," he said.

"Our bowling was also very good in patches, and we generally gave a good show of it in the field.

"We had quite a few areas from which we could pick out the good from them, and so we hope to take them into the limited-overs series, and be more competitive."

In light of the contractual row that robbed the side of experience, Chanderpaul was easily the most experienced member of the side, particularly the batting with his 89 Tests.

"There is always pressure when you play Test cricket," he said. "But you have to go out there, and do your job, whether it be batting, bowling, or fielding.

"In my case, I went out there hoping to bat as long as possible, so the other guys can bat around me, it did not happen this time, but we must and will all learn from this experience.

"We have been doing plenty of work on our batting. This team is packed with plenty of youngsters, who are still learning the game, but they will come around though."

West Indies will open their campaign in the three-nation competition against India on Sunday at Dambulla in another day/night fixture.