Ambrose slams ´pathetic´ West Indies

LONDON:  Curtly Ambrose labelled the current West Indies side "embarrassing" and "pathetic" after their humiliating innings defeat by England in the first Test.

England went 1-0 up in the ongoing three-match series courtesy of a mammoth innings and 209-run win as the first day/night Test in Britain ended inside three days at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Amid a welter of depressing statistics for the West Indies, perhaps the worst was that they lost 19 wickets in under a day on Saturday after being made to follow-on.

"In the end it was totally embarrassing," West Indies fast-bowling great Ambrose told Monday´s Daily Mail.

"I never saw any aggression from the West Indies players throughout the three days," added Ambrose, who took 405 wickets at an outstanding low average of 20.99 in his 98-Test career.

"There was no belief that they could compete, let alone beat England. They seemed to be waiting for England to make mistakes and at this level that is not going to work.

"Trust me, it was painful to watch."

West Indies have now won just three out of 87 away Tests in the past 20 years excluding matches against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

Ambrose said he had tried to stop the slide as a member of the backroom staff but in the end felt it was a "waste of time".

"I was with the team for two years as bowling coach and we tried to educate them about our heritage," he recalled. "I talked about the pride and passion in representing the region and our people.

"I could talk to them all day but once they stepped over that rope they were on their own and if they were not prepared to listen, it was simply a waste of time. It does hurt.

"And it has reached a point where it is very embarrassing."

Ambrose was now left hoping the West Indies could compete in the remaining two Tests of the England series at Headingley and Lord´s as "what we have seen so far has been pathetic".