BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC:

THE ART of fast bowling in the Caribbean is not dead, but it will remain in the doldrums if the present generation of pacers do not improve their work ethic.

Joel 'Big Bird' Garner, the legendary West Indies fast bowler of the 1970s and 1980s, said on Friday the region's speedsters needed to work harder if they were to be successful.

"If you go in the schools in Barbados and throughout the Caribbean you will see there is a sea of talent around. There is more talent here than anywhere else in the world," Garner said.

Work attitude

"The problem comes from what I call an indifferent work attitude. Personal discipline is a problem. I don't see my fast bowlers waking up at four or five o'clock in the morning to do training as they should.

"I don't see them working to stay fit all year round. All these are things you have to do to be a cricketer at the highest level. If the players are prepared to work hard and take their responsibilities seriously, and have the self discipline then we will see a change-around."

Garner, the six-foot, eight-inch fast bowler is one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, having played in the glory days of West Indies cricket alongside other pace legends including Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall and Courtney Walsh.

He was speaking on Friday at Kensington Oval as the Barbados Local Organising Committee for the 2007 Cricket World Cup hosted a group of international journalists.