Windies put faith in young side

West Indies skipper Carl Hooper said his young and inexperienced team would produce competitive cricket when they take on Pakistan in the first Test, starting on Thursday, in Sharjah.

"We have lost a number of senior players and that's what has led to the decline in the team's performance, but the new players are getting better and better," veteran all-rounder Hopper told reporters.

"Ideally, we would have liked to play some warm-up matches before the Test series, but then we all know under what circumstances the series has been shifted to Sharjah," he said.

West Indies declined to play the two Tests and three one-dayers in Pakistan because of security concerns, forcing the Pakistan Cricket Board to move the series to the mutually-agreed neutral venue in the United Arab Emirates.

"The important thing is that the series is on and we are happy to be playing against Pakistan," Hooper said.

Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis said his team felt comfortable playing in Sharjah.

"We all wanted the series to be played in Pakistan, but then nothing could be done since circumstances were different," he said. "We have been playing in Sharjah for the last 15 to 20 years and we have not totally lost out on the advantage of playing at home."

The rival captains were unsure how the wicket would behave.

"There is no grass and the wicket is very hard, more suited for one-day games," Younis said, adding that the spinners would be required to do more work.

The spinners, led by Muttiah Muralitharan, did most of the damage when West Indies toured Sri Lanka, he said.

"If Sri Lanka had Murali, Pakistan have Saqlain Mushtaq, also a world class bowler. But we are ready for the battle," he said.

The absence of Brian Lara, who suffered a hairline fracture in his left elbow in Sri Lanka in mid-December, has further added to West Indies' woes.

"We will certainly miss him," Hooper said.

Pakistan also have worries.

"We will certainly feel the absence of Wasim Akram (hamstring) and Saeed Anwar (wrist injury). Akram is recovering fast and I think he may join the series after the first Test," Younis said.

Pakistan manager Yawar Saeed said the series has been reduced to two Tests from the original three because his side did not have enough time.

Pakistan (likely): Waqar Younis (captain), Taufeeq Umar, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Abdur Razzaq, Rashid Latif, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Danish Kaneria.

West Indies (from): Carl Hooper (captain), Daren Ganga, Sherwin Campbell, Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ryan Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Mervyn Dillon, Cameron Cuffy, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Darryl Brown, Dinanath Ramnarine.

Umpires: George Sharp (England) and Mohammad Riazuddin (Pakistan)

Match referee: Mike Denness (England).

Mail Cricket Editor