Fitness is the key for Ambrose

PORT-OF-SPAIN, MARCH 22. Curtly Ambrose will continue to play for the West Indies as long as he is fit and able to help the team win matches. The 36-year-old fast bowler made the assertion after he helped bowl the West Indies to a miraculous 35-run triumph over Zimbabwe at Queen's Park Oval here on Monday.

``I will take it match by match because in this game you can never tell,'' Ambrose told reporters after the West Indies became the second side to defend a total of less than 100 to win a Test. ``You can lose form and fitness, anything can happen in this game. If I can remain fit and keep winning matches for the West Indies, then I will go on for a little while until the youngsters can take over the mantle.''

Ambrose collected the man-of-the-match award after he captured seven wickets in the Test - three in the second innings - as the West Indies defended 98 runs and equalled the late Malcolm Marshall's 376 wickets as the second highest by a West Indian.

``It was not another win for Curtly Ambrose because it's West Indies cricket and it belongs to all of us West Indian people. Over the years, I have said I do it for the people and not for me. If I had to do it for me, half the times I would not go out there because sometimes I just do not feel like it.''

Ambrose brushed aside remarks that Queen's Park Oval might be his favourite ground. In 12 Tests, he has remarkably captured 66 wickets.

``There is nothing special about Queen's Park Oval,'' he remarked. ``I have played cricket in many places other than Queen's Park Oval and had success. It's just one of those things that over the last few years, I have managed to take a few wickets here.''

Ambrose was philosophical in his response to the consistent lack of runs from the West Indies batsmen.

``We are all there to do a job and the batsmen are trying really hard,'' he said. ``Things are not going as well as they would like, but they are trying and are going to get it right. Hopefully, they can put it together for the next match.''

- AFP

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