Friday 8th May 2009 – Skipper, Chris Gayle, has promised that his Digicel-sponsored West Indies team will not give up the Wisden Trophy without a fight despite the ten-wicket opening match defeat at the hands of England inside three days at Lords on Friday.
 
 “It won’t be easy. I’m sure Durham is going to be even tougher conditions for us. But, at the same time, we still have to go out there and fight, give it our all and put up a good fight against England,” he said after the match.
 
 The second and final Test begins at Chester-le-Street in Durham next Friday.
 
 “Once we can get them on the back foot and not let them slip, then we’ll definitely be in with a chance. So we just have to have a think about it and see how well we can rebound from this loss,” he added. “We still have a chance. I mean they are one up, but we can square the series and retain that Trophy so we have a lot to play for in that final Test match.”
 
 “We have a lot of work to do. We might have the day off tomorrow but then we will go back in the nets and work again.”
 
 Gayle blamed the first Test defeat on faulty catching in the final session on the first day when six straightforward chances were grassed with England on the ropes.
 
 “That session there where we dropped too many catches, that kind of set us on the back foot and from thereon in, we lost it,” he admitted. “I thought we utilized the conditions early. Things were going our way and then, after that session after tea, that’s where we crumbled.”
 
 He praised the efforts of the bowlers but admitted the senior batsmen, including himself, were below par.
 
 “Give credit to Fidel Edwards. He put us in a good position and the rest of the bowlers chipped in and backed him up well. Myself and Shiv and Sarwan didn’t actually get any in this game. It’s disappointing. We know these conditions well enough actually to perform to the best of our ability,” he added.
 
 England captain Andrew Strauss was delighted with his team’s display; “I thought the way we played throughout the Test match was excellent. The guys stood up when we needed them to. I’m delighted with the performance. There are still areas to work on obviously but we’re very happy to come away with a win.”
 
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