With the likes of Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder, West Indies can boast of a quality pace attack once again, that can stand comparisons with its mighty fast bowling riches from the 1970s to 90s and do the job against any team in the contemporary cricket world, believes the team's assistant coach, Roddy Estwick.
West Indies beat England 2-1 in a Test series last year in the Caribbean, with the pace and hostility on show too good for the visiting batsmen and making everyone reminisce the glorious past.
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Estwick expects a similar show from the Calypso Kings during the return series, beginning July 8 in Southampton.
"We've got four fast bowlers (who) we think can challenge any team in the world," he said in a conference call.
"I don't know about living up to the greats, they've got to forge their own identity."
"We've (also) got a group of youngsters coming through," added Estwick, referring to Chemar Holder, Oshane Thomas & co.
A former Barbados paceman himself, Estwick, thinks the current crop is showing stamina of the kind displayed by the previous generation of West Indies fast bowlers.
"What we've done is improve our fitness," he said. "Now you can sustain pressure. If you look back at the 80s, that's one thing the fast bowlers had."
"When I played first-class cricket in the 80s, we had six outstanding fast bowlers," recalled Estwick.
"But the likes of Wayne Daniel and Sylvester Clarke only played 10 and 11 Tests and yet they both had about 900 first-class wickets each."
The three-Test series will mark the return of international cricket after COVID-19 hiatus and will be played entirely behind closed doors stadiums.
Estwick, however, doesn't think lack of hostile English crowds will make the task any easier for his team.
"The '12th man' isn't going to be there but I don't think experienced bowlers like Broad and Anderson will be too fazed by the crowd not being there," he said.
The visiting squad is currently going through a quarantine period and training at Old Trafford ground in Manchester.
"It's a different situation but we've spent a bit more time as a group together," said Estwick. "The spirit has been good. We've got no complaints with the way things have gone so far. The excuses stop now."
(Inputs from AFP)
