Lara is raring to go like a ''spring chicken'': coach

Montego Bay, Jamaica, Mar 8 (UNI) West Indies coach Bennett King said captain Brian Lara is as fresh as spring chicken for the World Cup campaign and he does not take much time to be in his grooves.

Lara did not play in West Indies' first warm up game against Kenya but the coach said there was no need to be unduly worried.

''Within the space of one or two days Brian is usually back to his best because of how much work he has done before,'' said King after a team training session.

''He has played 16 years, he has a lot of volume under his belt.

''He is very keen to play, he is like a spring chicken at the moment,'' King was quoted as saying by local media.

''He is jumping out of his seat to play,'' he added.

King said bowling is one department which the team has to make improvements.

''We were disappointed with some aspects of the Kenyan game. We have just got to be much tougher; we need better batting and we need to bowl much better,'' he said.

While noting that fast bowler Corey Collymore is being treated with care so as not to over-bowl him, King conceded that Ian Bradshaw's bowling has been a little bit disappointing, especially since the team's recent tour of India.

''He (Bradshaw) has not been playing a lot of cricket for Barbados so he is someone that needs work,'' said the Aussie.

UNI