Lara hopes for Lawson speed

LONDON: Captain Brian Lara hopes Jermaine Lawson can inject speed into the West Indies bowling in the NatWest Series. Lawson, who claimed seven wickets in a Test against Australia last year, has been forced to remodel his action. “He seems to be coming into his own but whether he can bowl at the pace he used to remains to be seen,” said Lara. “Someone who has been out of international cricket for a year is going to take his time to come back, so we will be there supporting him.”

With Fidel Edwards injured, Lawson and Tino Best carry the pace-bowling responsibilities. The tourists, who lost a tour match to Ireland last week, play their final warm-up match against Kent today. A number of injury problems mean there are still places up for grabs for next weekend’s first match against New Zealand at Edgbaston. “We have just come off the back of six Test matches and half-a-dozen or so one-dayers so, of course, the guys are carrying niggles here and there,” Lara said. “It is a very young team and there are only a few definite starters like Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The rest will all be competing in these warm-up matches for their chance before the first one-day international.”