Gayle sceptical about West Indies' curfew

LONDON, May 15 (Reuters) West Indies opening batsman Chris Gayle expressed scepticism on Tuesday about a curfew which has been imposed on the team in an effort to install some discipline after their disappointing World Cup performance.

Cup hosts West Indies, who meet England at Lord's today in the first of four tests, failed to advance past the second round amid reports of late nights and indiscipline within the ranks.

As a response, manager Mike Findlay has imposed a nightly curfew on a young side who are being captained by Ramnaresh Sarwan following Brian Lara's decision to retire.

''There are always changes in life and cricket as well,'' Gayle told a news conference. ''I would not agree with the curfew but it's the team rule and the team policy so you have to go along with it.

''I'd like guys to be more free to do what they want to do for the leadup to the first test match.'' Gayle, who showed only intermittent glimpses of his explosive stroke play at the World Cup, is essential to West Indies' hopes of competing with England who remain a tough side to beat at home despite their 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia.

''There's always a responsibility on my shoulders not just as a senior player but as a batter,'' he said. ''We can push any side but it's not going to be easy in English conditions.'' West Indies, who have lost 15 away series in a row excluding those against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh since drawing with England in 1995, have not played a test match this year.

Only 48.4 overs were possible in the rain-ruined match against Somerset, the only practice game, with two complete days of the scheduled three washed out.

Gayle bruised a thumb while batting on Saturday and Runako Morton retired hurt with a groin strain after scoring a century while opener Daren Ganga required seven stitches in a cut over his left eye when he was hit in the nets by Daren Powell.

Caretaker coach David Moore, who has taken over from fellow-Australian Bennett King, said all three would be fit for Thursday's match in a rare piece of good news for the West Indies.

''It's not the most ideal preparation we could have had,'' Moore told a news conference. ''But we can't worry about what we can't control.

''A good result for us is to win test matches. We are here to win test matches. We are eighth in the world in test match cricket so we have to do something better to get higher.

''I think that increasing our intensity and our work throughout our game is something we are going to have to do.'' REUTERS SSC RK2100