We are well prepared for the World Cup: Greg Chappell

Port Of Spain, Mar 14 (UNI) India coach Greg Chappell today asserted that his team was well prepared for the World Cup and everyone was keen for the tournament to start.

Talking to mediapersons here before the start of team's work out at University of West Indies (UWI) Ground, the coach said, ''The guys have enjoyed just having a few days' peace and quiet time before the tournament starts. So in a way that's been good, adding ''We are looking forward to our first game to begin.'' ''But there's no rush for that either. We know we have got a few days here and we have got our plans for those few days that we hope will get us to the first game all ready to go,'' Chappell added.

Asked whether newly laid pitches will be a problem for his side, Chappell said,''Whatever they will be, we will have to bat as every other team will. So whatever the conditions are, they will vary from venue to venue and that's going to be part of the challenge for this series, as it is in any World Cup.'' The coach was of the view that not every wicket is the same and not all conditions around the world are the same. ''That's what sorts out the better teams from the others. The one's that can adapt, will be successful,''he said.

He said the two warm-up games which his team played in Montego Bay helped the players to sort out a couple of things. ''You are trying to do different things and I think we got most of the things we wanted out of the warm-up games,''he said.

He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of those warm-up games saying,''I don't think you can take anything from the results as such, but with those games we got an opportunity for the bowlers to bowl and the batters to bat. Got used to some of the local conditions.'' Asked if his team got enough practice as the second warm-up match against West Indies did not even last 50 overs, the coach shot back,''If you want to find negatives, you can find. We were happy.'' To a query whether the group B in which India figures is toughest, the coach said, ''It's our group. We have looked at it and we know what we have got to do. We have got three good games coming up and that should help prepare us to go further.'' When asked how the youngsters who are making their World Cup debut were coping, Chappell said,''It's the first World Cup for some of them so people talk about it being their first.

But it's a cricket tournament and they have played cricket tournaments before.'' ''All the players are focused. This is a tournament. We are here to play in a tournament, we are prepared for it and we will get on with it,'' the Indian coach said.

UNI