West Indies Draw Inspiration from Brisbane Triumph for Lord's Test

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is drawing inspiration from his team's stunning victory over Australia in Brisbane as they prepare for the first Test against England at Lord's. Despite their inexperience, Brathwaite believes his team can overcome the odds once again.

In January, West Indies defied all expectations by defeating Australia in Brisbane, a venue where the hosts had lost only once in 34 Tests. Key contributions from Kavem Hodge, Joshua da Silva, Kevin Sinclair, Alick Athanaze, and Kirk McKenzie, along with Shamar Joseph's match-winning bowling performance, secured the historic eight-run win.

Now, West Indies face another tough challenge in England, where they haven't won a series since 1988. Only three players in their squad - Brathwaite, Jason Holder, and Alzarri Joseph - have prior experience at Lord's. However, Brathwaite is confident that his team can replicate their Brisbane success.

"It was a big positive for us to get a win, because it shows that we could we could get the job done," Brathwaite said. "We could take a lot of stuff from that game as batsmen, because we had some important partnerships. Then the bowlers were outstanding."

Brathwaite confirmed his XI on the eve of the Test, with Mikyle Louis set to make history as the first player from St Kitts to represent West Indies. The middle-order is also relatively inexperienced, but Brathwaite believes they are ready for the challenge.

"I think they're young and exciting," he said. "They have a lot of talent and we are fully 100% behind them."

Brathwaite's experience will be crucial, especially against England's aggressive "Bazball" approach. However, he insists that he will not be rushed into changing his style.

"My general style is taking my time, and that's me," he said. "All the batters must bat their game, and back their plan. That's what we will do, we focus on ourselves. Making sure we fight is very important."

Brathwaite also acknowledged the skills of James Anderson, who will be playing his final Test at Lord's.

"Obviously he's a legend of the game, he's very consistent," Brathwaite said. "Facing him in England is a good challenge, you've really got to be on it."

Brathwaite's advice to his teammates is to trust their plans and enjoy the experience.

"Don't just expect to play for West Indies, expect to be the first to score 30 hundreds," he said. "You got to think big, you know. Don't think too small."

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