Harper BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (AP):
RETURNING home after a crushing loss in Australia, West Indies cricket coach Roger Harper said he hopes his team will "get it together" before playing the South African team in the Caribbean next month.
"We have a lot of work to do. We have a home series here against South Africa and we know South Africa are going to be very competitive and we have to get our act together," Harper said at the Barbados airport on Tuesday after the team arrived from London.
The West Indies lost the recent Test series 5-0 to Australia, which has now gone 15 Tests without a loss. Australia also clinched the following tri-nation, one-day international series with the West Indies and Zimbabwe.
"I think we just came from a tour where we faced the best team in the world and we know it can't get any tougher than that," Harper said.
Harper said the West Indies' biggest problem has been the psychological aspect of the game.
"I think that is our weakest area. I think we didn't handle stress situations very well and we did not respond well to the rough situations in Australia," Harper said.
"In the Caribbean we always tend to be a bit more competitive. The team always tends to be able to produce a little fighting spirit and we have to do that here against South Africa next month," Harper said.
