[CRICKET]

Courtesy Jamaica Observer Newspaper

West Indies captain, Brian Lara (right), hugs team-mate, Jamaican fastbowler, Jermaine Lawson, on arrival at the team hotel in Kingston yesterday. Lawson bagged a record 7-78 against Australia in the fourth Test which ended at the Antigua Recreation Ground on Tuesday, but his bowling action has been reported to the ICC. The West Indies and Australia meet in the first two one-day internationals at Sabina Park this Saturday and Sunday. (Photo: Michael Gordon)

BRIAN Lara's West Indies and Ricky Ponting's Australia arrived in Kingston yesterday declaring themselves brimful of confidence ahead of the weekend start of the seven-match Cable& Wireless one-day international cricket series.

"We are fit and raring and waiting," declared Australian manager, Steve Bernard, shortly after exiting the departure lounge at the Norman Manley Airport on arrival with his squad yesterday.

And both West Indies captain Lara and coach, Gus Logie, claimed the sensational three-wicket win by the West Indies in the fourth and final Test which ended Tuesday in Antigua had set the stage for a good show in the one-dayers.

West Indies captain Brian Lara (left), Mervyn Dillon (centre) and fitness trainer Ronald Rogers arriving at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston yesterday. (Photo: Michael Gordon)

"We will take into this game the confidence that we would have gained from the last game," said Logie.

While noting that one-day cricket was a big change from the five-day game, Lara believes "we're going to take ... out of the Test series the character that we have shown and instil it in the one-day game".

Entering the Antigua Test match 0-3 down and in danger of being blanked 0-4 by the Australians, the West Indies set a new world record, reaching 418-7 in their second innings to win the game against all odds.

The historic win has added sparkle to the two weekend games with large numbers of people lining up at the 14,500-seat Sabina Park in search of tickets yesterday.

Logie said his squad was intent on working "as hard as possible in the field to make sure that we restrict the Australians to the kind of score that we will be able to get. And we will hope that the batsmen will come up trumps again".

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who stayed off the field for much of the fourth Test because of a damaged finger but scored a brilliant second innings century and earned the man-of-the-match award, arrived with the team yesterday, but Lara was unable to say whether he would play Saturday.

"I am hoping ... he will be available because he is such an important part of the team," said Lara. He hailed the Guyanese for his courage in Antigua.

"...I must say that whatever pain ... he had in the match, It was great to see him going out there and showing character ...," said Lara.

The West Indies captain suggested that fastbowler, Jermaine Lawson, who bowled only seven overs in the second innings of the Antigua Test because of a sore back and who is embroiled in a chucking controversy, would be available for the weekend games.

"Jermaine Lawson is available to the squad ... and it doesn't matter what's taken place on the outside, he is available for selection. He is a bit sore but the doctors have given him the okay to resume duties on Saturday," said Lara.

And Bernard argued that the Australian side without Test captain, Steve Waugh, and a number of other Test players had been made stronger by the arrival of others. The new arrivals include one-day specialists, Michael Bevan and Andy Symonds, who starred during Australia's overwhelmingly succesful World Cup campaign in southern Africa earlier this year.

Bernard confirmed that man of the Test series, Ponting, who missed the Antigua Test because of a virus infection, was back to full fitness for the weekend. Ponting declined to speak to journalists yesterday.

Squads:

West Indies -- Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Omari Banks, David Bernard, Ricardo Powell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hurley, Carlton Baugh, Jermaine Lawson, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith.

Australia -- Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Bevan, Andrew Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Hauritz, Ian Harvey, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Darren Lehman, Jimmy Maher, Michael Clarke, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds.