England bowlers having to learn new skills - Plunkett

RODNEY BAY, St Lucia, Mar 13 (Reuters) England's seam bowlers are having to learn new skills to adapt to the slow Caribbean wickets just days before their first World Cup match, Liam Plunkett said today.

Plunkett is battling with James Anderson, Sajid Mahmood and Jon Lewis for two spots in Friday's line-up for the Group C clash with New Zealand.

But despite the competition for places, the bowlers are working together to find inventive ways of getting batsmen out as their usual swing and seam deliveries are unlikely to be effective in the conditions.

''We've been getting together, chatting about the wickets,'' Plunkett told reporters.

''We have had some really good discussions about how to bowl on these wickets.'' Plunkett, who recently offered to donate a kidney to his sick dad but was refused, has been trying out some off-cutters in the nets after being impressed by Australia's bowling in England's warm-up defeat on Friday.

''We need to adapt to these wickets really early. Practice on the last couple of days has been focused on that,'' he said. ''The warm-up games were of huge benefit but obviously we are here for the World Cup so it is good to get on with it now.'' REUTERS PDS PM2128