Cricket: Lloyd confident that Antigua pitch will hold few terrors

THE England coach, David Lloyd, is unconcerned about the Antigua Test pitch, which has been relaid for the final Test which begins tomorrow.

"This pitch has never been played on. They had a club match 10 days ago on a pitch close to it, and the ball went through fairly nicely, by all accounts," Lloyd said. "The scores were 210 and 206, and Mark Ramprakash's father watched part of the game and said the surface looked quite good. But that was only a two-day affair and obviously it would be different for a Test match.

"I think there is a worry about how it will play, but it's a worry for the West Indies as much as for us."

England's players had a short fielding practice yesterday at their Antigua resort base, and they will practice fully at the St John's Recreation Ground today. Lloyd insisted spirit was good in the England camp, despite the disappointment of the drawn Test in Barbados. "We did fancy our chances to win there, and it would have been a terrific day," he said.