Harper, who coached West Indies for three years until the 2003 World Cup in March, believes pitch preparation will be a key factor in the series, since Sri Lankan ace-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will flourish on flat surfaces.

"I would like to see us quicken up our pitches here and really give our seam bowlers some assistance, because Muralitharan on a flat pitch is going to be a dangerous bowler," Harper said during CMC's CricketPlus Lunchtime Show on Sunday.

Harper, currently doing duties as Head Coach at the 2003 Shell Cricket Academy, said more bouncy pitches would benefit the West Indies and take away a clear advantage the visitors would have on docile tracks.

"Our bowlers would not be that threatening on a flat pitch.

"I think if we prepare some lively pitches it will even things out a bit, it may not give Muralitharan that much assistance, help our bowlers, and I think that will enable us to do a lot better," Harper said.

Wisden, widely regarded as the bible of cricket publications, recently rated Muralitharan as the greatest Test bowler of all-time.

The West Indies face Sri Lanka in three One-Day International (ODI) matches - starting this weekend with back-to-back games in Barbados - and two Test matches.

Harper said the Sri Lankans are tough and should not be underestimated.

"I think it's going to be a very tough series and I think it's important that we remain very focused," he said.

Harper hinted that the West Indies, fresh from facing the world's best team Australia, should guard against any fade in intensity against the Sri Lankans.

'HAVE TO BE FOCUSED'
"I certainly think that coming on the back of the Australian series, it was a long, long season, that we have to be sharp, we have to be fully focused.

"We can't afford to underrate the Sri Lankan team at all," said the 40-year-old Guyanese.

Harper, who played 25 Tests and 105 ODIs for the West Indies from 1983 to 1996, added that the West Indies are capable of defeating Sri Lanka if they play to their full potential.

"If we play as well as we are capable of playing, we should be able to handle them, but I think we need to give the bowlers every opportunity to get the job done by putting some life in the pitches," he said.

Local veterans leave for Masters Over-40 football
ON tour: The veterans team pose with their jerseys donated by Banks DIH Limited. Manager Estwick Northe is lying holding the ball. (Quacy Sampson photo)
ON tour: The veterans team pose with their jerseys donated by Banks DIH Limited. Manager Estwick Northe is lying holding the ball. (Quacy Sampson photo)
A LOCAL veterans touring party left for Barbados yesterday to participate in the 8th Annual Masters Over-40 championships.

The local side boasts several past national players under manager Estwick Northe and coach Earl O’Neil.

Some of the former nationals are Terrence Archer, Gordon Braithwaite, Earl O’Neil, Michael Pierre, Neville Wiltshire, Ronwick Salmon, Chris Barnwell, Dion Barnwell and Estwick Northe who will don the goalkeeper’s gear.

Although the competition is for over-40 players, five players between 35 and 40 years will be allowed on the field at one time for a particular team.

The tournament kicks off tomorrow, running through to Monday, with teams from some 17 countries looking for top honours.

This is the third time that a local team will be in the competition. They had first won the plate competition in 2001 then last year reached the quarterfinals, going down to Jamaica 2-1, with a line-up that includes the captain and another player from the World Cup.

Black Rock of Barbados won the competition and Unity of Trinidad & Tobago placed second.

The first prize is US$2 000, second US$1 500 and third US$1 000, while the Most Goals Scorer and Most Valuable Player will each pocket US$100.