West Indies aim to outgun opponents with pace at World Cup qualifier

Harare, March 3 - West Indies chief coach Stuart Law believes his team's pace attack will play a crucial role during the ICC World Cup qualifier as the opponents are not used to facing top-class fast bowlers. The likes of Kemar

Law also said his side will have to be smarter in approaching the tournament, which will produce two sides that will complete the 10-team line-up for next year's World Cup, to be played in England and Wales.

West Indies have been clubbed with the Netherlands, Ireland, Papua New Guinea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Group A. They will open their campaign against the UAE, the side which nearly beat them in the second warm-up match on Thursday. 

"It is not going to be making 300 plus and then bowling teams out. It is going to be working out how to get to 180 to 220 and then deciding how to get the 10 wickets. To be honest, the wickets (in the warm-up matches) weren't as conducive as we want to play and so just have to come up with different ways to go about it," he pointed out. 

"We do target 300-plus as we found in New Zealand, that's probably a benchmark score these days in One-Day Internationals. Here, we have to lower that target just to make sure we are safe to play better cricket or make better decisions out in the middle and get the job done."

Law, who played one Test and 54 ODIs for Australia from 1994 to 1999, valued the presence of stalwarts like Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Nikita Miller in the side saying it was up to the youngsters to observe and learn from these players. 

"You can't buy experience on a shelf. You need these guys in these tough conditions to stand up as well and guide the youngsters through the difficult periods," he said.

"Then it is just up to the younger or less experienced players to listen, heed the advice and carry forward into their game."

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IANS