Port of Spain, June 19 :

Joey Carew, convenor of the West Indies’ selection panel, agrees that pitches in the Caribbean need to improve, but he failed to give reasons why Brian Lara’s appeal for a genuine fast bowler for the third Test against India were ignored.

Carew, a former Trinidad and Tobago captain and West Indies opening batsman, was speaking against the backdrop of Lara’s plea for more helpful surfaces for the last two Tests, as well as a genuine fast bowler to exploit India’s weakness to this type of bowling.

“We need better pitches in the Caribbean,” Carew told the Trinidad Guardian newspaper. “Look at India, they cannot even bowl us out twice. “Looking at our bowling attack, a major factor has so far been the absence of Fidel Edwards through injury. He was an essential part of our attack and would have provided the pace that is necessary to be penetrative on such pitches.”

Lara suggested that fast bowlers like Jermaine Lawson be considered for selection in the absence of Edwards, who has been sidelined since the first Test with a right

hamstring injury.

Carew however, gave reasons why Lawson would not be considered. “Brian said that he spoke to some people who said that Jermaine Lawson, the quickie from Jamaica,

is ready, but we still have our doubts about his bowling action,” Carew said.

Carew gave no reasons though, why unorthodox left-arm spin bowler Dave Mohammed was omitted from the 13-member squad for the third Test, but he believes West Indies will begin winning Test matches again soon.

The four-Test series is still level at 0-0, after the first two Tests at St. John’s and Gros Islet both ended in tension-filled draws. The third Test — the first to be held at Basseterre in St. Kitts — will be contested from June 22 and 26, and Kingston stages the fourth and final Test from June 30 to July 4.