Campbell looking for application and patience in opening test

In just more than a week, the West Indies will get down to the official business when they engage England in the first #RaiseTheBat Test Series starting at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

The Windies will have one more practice game before the opening game with a four-day inter-squad encounter starting today in Old Trafford.

One player who will be looking to get in some more time out in the middle is Jamaican opener John Campbell who had a lukewarm start on tour with the bat, getting scores of zero and 49 in the recently concluded three-day inter-squad practice match.

Campbell, who batted for an hour and a half in the second innings of the drawn game, faced just 59 balls in his breezy knock of 49 which included 10 fours and a six.

First taste of match action

For the left-hander, it was good getting his first taste of match action, but there is still much more work to be done.

"For me, it was good to get a decent runout and getting used to competitiveness once again. It's one thing to be batting balls in the nets but nothing is better than getting batting practice out in the middle. I didn't get many runs in the first innings, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I start scoring again because I am hitting the ball nicely in the nets," said Campbell.

The left-hander is expected to partner Barbadian right-hander Kraigg Brathwaite in the opening Test, however, he will be mindful that another Barbadian opener, reserve player Shayne Moseley, got scores of 40 and 83 not out in the first practice game.

While not worried, Campbell says he will be making small tweaks as he looks to improve his form ahead of the Test.

"One of the things I will be working on is to play the ball as late as possible and also play each ball on its merit. My confidence is there and I have been approaching my batting with a clear head, it's just for me to pull everything together and I know the results will come," added Campbell.