PERTH, Australia, CMC – West Indies fast bowling icon Sir Curtly Ambrose has urged discipline from his pace attack when they face reigning World champions India on what is expected to be a lively pitch here tomorrow.
Sir Curtly, the Windies bowling coach, said it was important the Caribbean side’s seamers found the right lengths and resisted the temptation to bowl overly short at the Indian batsmen on the encouraging WACA strip.
“The pitches here in Perth are usually bouncy and supportive of fast bowling. However, the mistake I think most bowlers make is that they pitch the ball a bit too short because of the extra bounce,” Sir Curtly told media here yesterday.
“Here at Perth, you have to find that good length, that is the key to being successful here in Perth. Bowling short and all that stuff could be waste. I’m not saying you shouldn’t bowl a short ball or two, but more often than not, you have to pitch the ball into that good area which will force the batsman to play a lot more.
“Good batsmen usually leave the ball on length because more often than not, the ball will go over the stumps anyway. So you have to get that length correct … and that’s how you will get that success here. [You shouldn’t get] carried away with the extra bounce.”
Sir Curtly was renowned for his impeccable lengths during an illustrious career which yielded 225 wickets from 176 One-Day Internationals and 405 Tests scalps from 98 Tests.
He was particularly successful at the WACA, with 24 wickets in three Tests there.
With West Indies boasting a relatively inexperienced attack, Sir Curtly also warned of the Fremantle Doctor – a stiff breeze blowing across the WACA which often made life difficult for bowlers.
“It’s always difficult to bowl into a strong breeze. I [didn’t] do it a lot during my career … but it’s a challenge bowling into a strong headwind,” Sir Curtly pointed out.
“It can put off your rhythm quite a bit but as a professional you have to find ways and means of getting through that strong headwind and getting on with the job.”
West Indies will enter tomorrow’s contest following a 257-run thrashing at the hands of South Africa last week in Sydney.
They have won two and lost two of their four encounters to date and know victory against India would see them take a giant step towards the next round.
Though India are unbeaten in three outings, Sir Curtly believes Windies can hand them their first defeat.
“The game coming up against India on Friday is a big one,” he smiled.
“India are the reigning World Cup champions. They are a great team. They haven’t lost a game yet but we will take care of them on Friday.”
