Strauss: New faces liven things up

Date released: 5 May 2009

Andrew Strauss: Ready for the Test England captain Andrew Strauss says the new faces in the England squad have given the whole team a boost ahead of Wednesday's start of the first Test against the West Indies.

Bowlers Tim Bresnan and Graham Onions and batsman Ravi Bopara, are part of the 12-man England squad preparing for the first Test of the English season.

Bopara was only recalled to the Test side in February; Bresnan and Onions are widely expected to make their Test debuts on Wednesday.

• Strauss on Bopara and England's line-up (1.5 MB)

Strauss said: "There's a great attitude and environment around the squad seems fantastic at the moment.

"The new faces in the squad are so enthusiastic I think maybe it makes some of the more experienced players appreciate it more - appreciate what a privilege it is to play for England."

England have not won the opening match of a Test Series going back 14 Series. Strauss is keen to change that:

"We can't say it's an unfortunate coincidence. We have to have the right mindset.

"We can't turn up thinking we'll ease our way into the summer. If you come in with that attitude then you're going to put yourself under pressure."

Strauss also talked about the players who have come to this Series from the IPL:

"All the [England] guys that have come back from the IPL - their enthusiasm is huge.

"I don't think it was a mistake to let them go. We've got a Twenty20 World Cup coming up soon. If those guys haven't learned anything in those four weeks [in the IPL] they never will."

Gayle: in typically relaxed form at Lord's Strauss's West Indies counterpart, Chris Gayle only flew into England on Tuesday, something Strauss described as "over the line":

"We wouldn't want our players to arrive two days before a Test."