Chris Gayle

The first day of the third and final Test match against Pakistan at
Karachi was a pretty good day for the West Indies. The pitch is
horrendous for Test cricket because of the low bounce. It is the worst Test pitch I have ever seen so far in
my career because the ball was almost rolling on the very first day of
the Test match.

We still have to bat on it though and when our turn comes to bat we
won't use that as an excuse. We still have to get the last three
Pakistan wickets before our turn at the crease and even though most
of our batters and especially the captain are in good nick it will be
hard work. Myself and Daren [Ganga] have to adjust to these conditions
and we have been having chats about how we are going to approach our
partnership.

Both of us missed out on hundreds in the last game and Dwayne Bravo as
well, but that's done and gone. It is a new leaf to turn to now. Once
we can build partnerships and get a big first innings score on this
wicket we can definitely set ourselves up for a victory in order to
draw the series. I have to give big credit to the bowlers – Corey
Collymore, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell and Bravo – they all bowled
well on that low and slow wicket but they know what Test cricket is
like.

When we first arrived in Karachi from Multan the team had a little fun
trip to a local resort. It was the first time I ever rode a motor
bike even though it was a small one. We drove mini race cars, buggies,
go karts and rode motor cycles. We also had a go at simulation desert
riding on ATVs. The bike riding was fun but I don't plan to ride any
again in the near future unless it's on four wheels. That I did enjoy
a lot and I think those are the sorts of things we need to have in
place whenever we go on tour rather than the routine of just going
from the hotel to the ground and back.

That sort of atmosphere can really take your mind away from cricket
for a while and make everyone relax. There is a time for serious
cricket and there is a time for fun. We are still human and we have to
look to enjoy ourselves even though the tour is long and can get
depressing we have to hang in there.

Mommy, I'm missing you!

Ramnaresh Sarwan

	Lara and Bravo put West Indies in a strong position at Multan © AFP

At the moment this second Test match is clearly in our favour. The fourth morning is going to be very important to us. It is crucial that Denesh Ramdin and Brian Lara form a partnership to give us a sizeable lead. We would not want to be batting on this wicket last and having to chase any runs.

It was really good to see young Jerome Taylor getting a five-wicket haul. It is well deserved and he bowled really well in the Champions Trophy and he is continuing with the same form here. I thought Corey (Collymore) was outstanding as well but unlucky at times. I thought the other bowlers really tried hard and I must commend all of them on the effort to restrict Pakistan to 357 on a flat batting wicket.

In replying to Pakistan's total I don't think we could have asked for a better start. Chris (Gayle) and Daren (Ganga) played really well. It's a pity that both of them did not get hundreds which they deserved. It's really good to see both of them continuing with their form, Chris from Champions Trophy and Daren from the home series against India. What was evident was the support they had for each other when they were batting and that is a really good sign for an
opening pair of any good team. I thought Johnny (Dwayne Bravo) played well and he also deserved a hundred but unfortunately he got out. However what was most important was the partnership between him and Brian.

After the foundation was laid I thought it was an opportunity for us to capitalize and that is exactly what Brian did. It was really a wonderful innings to watch. From the time he went in there he was positive and confident. I hope he goes on to get a bigger score tomorrow to put the team in an unassailable position where we can only win or draw the game. Pakistan would then be under pressure to save the game.

On a personal note I was surprised and disappointed that I wasn't playing in this test. But I still have a responsibility to support my team-mates which I have always done on and off the field. I see this disappointment as only making me stronger. I have gotten over much worse than this in my life and my career and overcoming this obstacle is not going to be any different for me.

I have done it in the past so this is just another test of my character. I am working hard as usual and whenever given the opportunity again I will try my utmost to ensure that I use it wisely.

A friend had always told me that the greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time you fall. This bit of advice is especially poignant at this time.

Chris Gayle

	'This first Test is key for us' © AFP

I arrived in Pakistan with a stomach bug which I picked up just before the final of the ICC Champions Trophy. That put me out of action and practice for a couple of days. I haven’t really had a chance to do much fitness work but I will be ready for the first test starting on Saturday. I had a hit in the nets today (Friday) and I felt okay and I am looking forward to tomorrow.

The conditions are different from India; it’s a bit overcast and the Pakistanis are a dangerous side at home. It will be very challenging first up. It will be additionally challenging for me with the games starting as early as 9:30am. We are coming from two months of playing games that started at 2:30pm and I got sort of accustomed to that. I will now have to be up from 7:30am and that will be difficult because I am not accustomed to getting up so early. But I am a professional; that is what I am here to do so I have to do it.

From a team point of view, all the guys are looking comfortable and they are also looking forward to the game ahead. This first Test is key for us; hopefully we can make it a good one to try and start off well.

A lot has been said about Pakistan by many people but so far Pakistan looks very good to me and we have settled in nicely. The facilities are great and the hotel is fantastic. In fact it has been the best hotel we have stayed at on this tour so far.

The way some people speak of Pakistan you can understand why a lot of cricketers think that they would not look forward to coming here but being here is a totally different experience. The place is lovely, Lahore is a very nice city and the people have taken excellent care of us. We are aware that the cricket will not be easy but we have to enjoy each and every day that we are here and I think it would be fun. I am very impressed with Pakistan so far since this is my first time here.

On a personal note I have to mention how honoured I am to win the ICC Champions Trophy Man-of-the-Tournament award. I think the manner which I batted during the tournament really motivated me to work harder at my game. That’s one-day cricket; it's tough and not only do I want to do well in ODI cricket but in Tests, too. It would be nice to contribute to the team in both forms of the game.

I have to commend my team-mates for the support throughout. They were always there for me and in the end we played well as a team but it was unfortunate in the final. We have to put that behind us and for the three test matches against Pakistan. Obviously that is our main objective now.

I did a bit of shopping yesterday. I went along with some of the boys for a trip to the mall. The security here, for obvious reasons, has been very intense and we had a huge security crew join us on the trip especially since there was a large group of people who basically followed us around for autographs and photos. The security is very tight, not even an ant can get through these guys here.

Ramnaresh Sarwan

	'If you want someone to liven up a dressing room there is no better person than Christopher ‘Cramps’ Gayle' © AFP

Both Shiv (Chanderpaul) and Chris (Gayle) played well but Chris was particularly exceptional. Getting his 15th one-day hundred in our victory over South Africa in the semi-final at Jaipur was nothing less than a great achievement. He is the one who sets up games for us so it’s very important for him to continue doing this. It’s his hard work which is paying off for him and the team now. Chris has also matured from when he started and I think he is at the age when you really start to mature and start to work things out for yourself. I think that is what is happening now. It’s really good to see and I’m sure he is going to continue with that sort of form, taking it into the final and into Pakistan as well.

Regardless of what happens on Sunday I expect him to be named Man-of-the-Series and, once this is confirmed, it is going to be a great achievement for him. He thoroughly deserves it. Obviously he bowls as well, stifling batsmen when they are looking to score not to mentioning getting vital wickets at vital moments in the game. It shows how valuable he is to this team, not only as a batsman but as a bowler as well. I think he has the ability to evolve into one of the greatest allrounders in the game.

On a more personal note I’ve known Chris since I was 16 when we played youth cricket together. We practically grew up together, along with Corey (Collymore) and Wavell (Hinds). Cricket aside, the most important thing about Chris is that he is very funny; a lot of people do not know that because they only tend to judge him from what they see on the cricket field, being cool and calm. People might think because of that he does not care much but he is fully committed to West Indies cricket. I think if you want someone to liven up a dressing room there is no better person than Christopher ‘Cramps’ Gayle.

The South Africa win was an outstanding victory for us. It really showed that we are getting better as a team. We have beaten most of the top ranked teams in the past six to eight months and I think that is a really good sign for us leading up to the World Cup. We need to continue working harder and continue improving. There is a lot of room for improvement and I am sure we will continue to do that. The win against South Africa definitely proved that we are an improving unit.

The final against Australia on Sunday at the Brabourne Stadium is going to be extra special to us because we are the first team to be playing back-to-back finals in the Champions Trophy. Australia are going to be very hungry as well because it is their first Champions Trophy final so it is going to be a great battle. Taking into consideration what happened the last time we played against them they will be coming with blood in their eyes and we are really looking forward to that challenge.