Woolmer blasts batsmen for 'spineless' display

Bob Woolmer has promised a better performance by Pakistan in the second Test after they were hammered by 276 runs in the first Test in Barbados. "We will be coming back with full force in the second Test to draw the series," Woolmer was quoted as saying by APP. "We have to be more consistent and play better cricket."

Looking back at the debacle of the first match, Woolmer said: "We were simply outplayed by West Indies. We didn't play Test cricket well enough. Since I have been involved with the team we have not played well in Test cricket apart from couple of occasions. It was very disappointing performance."

Woolmer was particularly scathing in his criticism of the batsmen, who had a shocker in the first innings when Pakistan were bundled out for just 144. "I thought we were spineless on that particular day with our batting," he said. "It's something we'll address in the next few days. It's not like the guys are out of form. They have been playing well. It's just that they got themselves out very stupidly. Our batsmen played too many shots square of the wicket off the new ball. There seemed [to be] no spirit, no fight at the crease which is surprising really. It is not that boys are not trying hard. It's just [lack of] application in certain situation."

Woolmer also played down an alleged incident in the dressing-room involving Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Inzamam-ul-Haq. The Pakistan media had widely reported that Afridi was apparently upset at being asked to open the batting by Younis, but Woolmer said that the entire incident had been blown out of proportion. "There was a minor misunderstanding and it caused a concern for a while, but it did not affect the team in the middle. It was all over the Pakistan press, who made a mountain out of a molehill," Woolmer added. "That might have affected them psychologically, but there is no excuse really to go out there and play the way they played."