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LONDON - Less than a week into their World Cup campaign, the West Indies yesterday lost coach Malcolm Marshall for what West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive Stephen Camacho said would be be ``an indefinite period''.

Marshall, 40, would undergo ``an exploratory abdominal operation'' at a Birmingham hospital on Saturday, Camacho said.

Whatever the outcome, it is unlikely that he would be able to rejoin the team before their final group match, against Australia at Old Trafford on Sunday, May 30.

Along with performance consultant Dr. Rudi Webster, the leading fast bowler of the great West Indies teams of the 1980s remained in England while the squad flew to the Irish capital, Dublin, yesterday for their second preliminary round match.

Webster would return to the team on its return to England on Sunday for the vital match against New Zealand in Southampton on Monday, Camacho said.

``We are all naturally concerned,'' manager Clive Lloyd, who has temporarily taken over coaching duties, said after practice in Dublin yesterday.

``Malcolm has complained about stomach problems for some time and he was advised to have the operation after they returned here.

``It's better that he has it seen after now, and our best wishes are with him,'' Lloyd added.

``We hope he'll be back with us soon, for his advice and expertise, especially now in England, are invaluable.''

Marshall, whose 376 wickets made him the leading West Indian bowler in Test cricket until Courtney Walsh surpassed him in South Africa last year, replaced Andy Roberts as coach in 1996.

His work with Natal in South Africa and his old English county, Hampshire, earned him the reputation that attracted the WICB.

With Lloyd at the helm and senior players Walsh, Phil Simmons, Curtly Ambrose and captain Brian Lara all with considerable experience in county cricket, the team will not be short of expert guidance. But Marshall's absence and the circumstances of it are bound to have an effect.

The team had what Lloyd described as ``a very worthwhile'' practice in warm weather at a local club ground soon after arrival in Dublin.

``We made it an open session, without nets, attempting to assimilate a match situation,'' he said.

``We had two batsmen in at a time, running between the wickets, trying to put pressure on fielders, that sort of thing. Conditions were good and everyone seemed to enjoy it.''

In the evening, Lloyd caught up with Gordon Greenidge, his one-time team-mate now coach of the Bangladesh team, at a civic reception hosted by Dublin City Council for the teams.

``We've read what Gordon's been saying about our supposed weaknesses and we had a bit of a laugh about it,'' Lloyd said.

``But it's a good thing for our players to hear from someone like Gordon that he feels Bangladesh can put them under some pressure. It helps banish any complacency.''

The West Indies will have one enforced change tomorrow to the team that lost to Pakistan in their opener in Bristol on Sunday.

Although the sprained left ankle he sustained in the field in that match is recovering quickly and he is likely to be ready for Monday's encounter with New Zealand, Keith Arthurton will have to watch on tomorrow.

Either Hendy Bryan or Reon King will take his place, boosting an attack that was patently short of another strike bowler against the Pakistanis.

Given the conditions at almost every ground so far that, allied to the white ball, have encouraged exaggerated movement for the seam and swing bowlers, it is a balance that should be maintained for the remaining four group matches.