'We're here to do more than compete'
West Indies coach David Moore spoke with the media after the team's training session at Headingley. Following are excerpts from his responses to several issues raised by journalists.On what the West Indies team can be proud of after the Lord's Test match:
There are a lot of good things that have come out of that performance at Lords and there are things we need to improve on as well so we've come out with confidence but still knowing that we have to improve every game. The batting effort was fantastic.
Being 5 for 187 and getting to where we got was really good and that's something that we can take heart from. All the batters contributed and down below we got 25 run partnerships from number nine and ten. I was very pleased with our batters particularly during that second innings when Chris Gayle and Daren Ganga got through unscathed which was very good and going at four runs an over too which was encouraging on the last day.
The bowling in the second innings was a lot better, the intensity throughout the game was very good. The focus was very good so those are things that were pleasing to us.
On whether the players feel more practiced after the first Test match:
We've got a little bit (practice) under the belt but we still need a lot more and the boys are getting used to every ground that we play on. Only a few of them have played over here before, particularly the bowlers so every ground that we go to is a new experience for them.
On whether the team will now compete better in the series:
We're here to do more than compete, we're here to try and win some games. Competing is one part, one process of winning cricket games. We're here to do our very best.
On whether England may have underestimated the Windies:
I don't think they underestimated us. They came out and tried to win the game, they were 553 in the first innings and were in very good shape when they had us 187 for 5. The bottom line is that we came out and showed some good effort and some good fight and we got to a position where we could be there on the last day which is what we are after.
On whether the draw for the Windies can be seen as a victory:
It's not a victory, it is a draw. We have done some great work which is good for the boys' confidence but we are aware that every game is a different game and we have to start again. We have to take the good things out of the first Test and work on the other things. Headingley is a different kettle of fish to Lords, we all know that and we're going to be very focused on our task here. We know what we want to do and what we want to achieve so we will keep going along our path.
On whether the focus will now be on consistency:
Consistency is the key since I've been here for the last couple of years. That's something that we've been speaking about, that we've been looking at and we are looking forward to being challenged by England once again and raising to the challenge.