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More support Windies need better form from backup bowlers
LEEDS, England (AP) -- The West Indies cricket team launched an emergency damage-limitation exercise to rebuild its backup bowlers' confidence before the crunch fourth cricket test against England at Headingley on Thursday. The lack of support for the veteran Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh has been West Indies' major problem during the three tests so far with Reon King and Franklyn Rose suffering from lack of confidence and form, unable to give the four-man pace attack the cutting edge needed to dominate the English batsmen. With the five-match series finely poised at 1-1, the traditionally seamer-friendly Headingley pitch is offering a lot more for bowlers of both sides in the form of an under-prepared surface. England has gone on the defensive by planning to name seven batsmen to counterattack the menace posed by Ambrose and Walsh and maximize the onslaught on Rose and King. Ambrose and Walsh, who will finish their careers at the end of the series, have so far carried the attack with 33 wickets while King and Rose have lagged with a distant 12 between them. The England batsmen, mindful of the weakness in the backup attack, have shown great disdain toward King and Rose while treating Ambrose and Walsh, both 37, with utmost respect. While the two veteran bowlers have conceded under 33 runs per 100 balls, the other two have given away over 60 runs each, another consternation for the visitors. "I think this could still work in our favor," said skipper Jimmy Adams, looking at the issue positively. "I am convinced they are more than capable. It looks like the opposing batsmen are prepared to take a risk, if that's so, that's fine with us. We expect our bowlers to come good. Things haven't gone according to plan so far." Both Rose and King came in for severe public criticism by Ambrose for their lack of trying which the tall right-armer put down as one of the main reasons for his quitting. "As far as the younger guys are concerned, I believe it's got to do with the stage they are at in their careers," Adams said. "I am sure they'll come good soon. "It's a very difficult situation for them, performing in the shadows of men like Walsh and Ambrose. But the adjustment hasn't been easy for them, however, I still have confidence in all of our younger fast bowlers. I've got no problem with them." With Shivnarine Chanderpaul facing the prospect of going home with the torn tendon in his right hand still troubling the left-hander, the visitors will be forced to choose between the in-form Chris Gayle and the talented 24-year old Ramnaresh Sarwan. Sarwan, played in the rain-hit third test at Old Trafford. But Gayle, who could also bowl a decent spell of off-spin, has shown tremendous form in the leadup to the test. A sprained right ankle could force Rose out of the test. If so, Nixon McLean, 27, will play his 11th test since his debut against England at home in 1997/98. Brian Lara, who hit form with a match-saving 112 in the drawn third test, is once again hindered by the recurrence of his hamstring injury. "The injuries will have a bearing to how we'll prepare for this match," Adams said. The skipper, who provided the side with a stubborn, near five-hour 53 as West Indies scored 400 runs for the first time in 12 tests, praised Lara and the team. "It was quite significant," he said of Lara's century. "It was a very good overall performance from the team. We got ourselves into a situation that would defeat us, but we got ourselves out of it" England has reinforced its unpredictable fragility of the batting by giving Graeme Hick his 10th recall. With left-arm seamer Alan Mullally withdrawing with a thigh strain the home side was left with local fast bowler Matthew Hoggard to provide the only cover for Darren Gough, Andrew Caddick, Dominic Cork and Craig White in an emergency. The inclusion of Hick will also protect the out-of-form Nasser Hussain. The captain has managed just 144 runs in first-class cricket this season and spent the best part of the summer nursing a cracked thumb. "My form is not brilliant," Hussain said on the eve of the test, although he scoffed at suggestions that he should drop down the order. "My record at No.3 speaks for itself," he said. "When England was looking for a No.3 all those years ago I came in and have done the job since. I intend carrying on doing it." In the 27 tests he has batted at No.3, Hussain has scored 1,639 runs at an average of 42.03, hitting four centuries and nine fifties. "I don't feel guilty at all. These things happen to players. It has happened to better players than me, it will happen to players in the future. It's how you react to it that's important. "You've got to show a bit of fight and go out there and show a bit of character rather than any kind of guilt." England has the best chance of rewriting history for the first time in 31 years if it can continue with its best collective form in years. It last beat the West Indies in a series in 1969.
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