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Nairobi-Jimmy Adams believes the West Indies must look beyond the results on their forthcoming tour of Australia and first try to establish a level of consistency overseas.

"The bottom line for any team is winning, obviously, but I would like to look beyond that and be able to say that, after three months in Australia, we can start playing with some sort of consistency away from home," Adams said as he and his team flew out of the Kenyan capital last night, bound for home, after yet another crushing overseas failure.

The West Indies, with a squad including four newcomers and several changes, were eliminated in the first round of the second ICC Knockout Trophy Wednesday, trounced by 108 runs by Sri Lanka. They were also beaten by India by six wickets in a pre-tournament practice match.

Adams put a positive spin even on this brief, unsuccessful interlude and saw Australia not so much as the daunting challenge it is as an opportunity to start rectifying the abysmal overseas record that brought the West Indies defeat in 13 of their last 15 Tests since 1997 in Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand and England.

"Any exposure at this level and outside the Caribbean must be beneficial and, given the kind of squad we had here with so many young players, I’m sure they have left with something, even if we only had those two matches," the captain said of the Nairobi tournament.

Adams broke down his goals for Australia in what he called "smaller components".

"Taking it on a day-to- day basis, we must aim to consistently play to the best of our ability and that covers the technical, physical and mental side," he said.

"The two main points would be if we can sustain it as a process in Australia and then carry it on through the home series against South Africa, one of the best teams in the world," he added. "It’s no use reaching our target in Australia and then falling down after that. Consistency has got to be ongoing."

Adams said he "had not been told" when the team would be selected for the Australian tour that starts November 7. Nor was he any wiser as to whether Courtney Walsh would be available, although he expected he would be today.

Walsh, the veteran 37-year-old fast bowler, who is Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker, has been in Australia for the Sydney Olympics and will link up with Adams and other Jamaican members of the team in London this morning for the flight back to Kingston.

"I haven’t heard anything lately from Courtney but I expect he would have made up his mind by now and would let me know in London," Adams said. "I really hope he decides to tour because he is bowling as well as ever and his experience and guidance would be a boost."

Although West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Pat Rousseau and vice-president Clarvis Joseph were in Nairobi for the tournament as guests of the ICC, Adams said he did not have any formal meeting with them.

It seemed an opportunity missed for the captain to air his hopes and concerns, and those of his players, to the most influential men in West Indies cricket.

Nor had Adams heard reports that fielding specialist, Englishman Julien Fountain, had been appointed to the coaching staff for the tour of Australia.

Fountain was first attached to the team for last year’s home series against Australia and the World Cup in England. Since then, he has been coach to the Queen’s Park Club and, more recently, working in England.

Adams said he hoped to be fit enough to lead Jamaica in the Red Stripe Bowl One-Day Tournament that starts with matches in Jamaica, Antigua and Anguilla on Wednesday.

He strained a muscle in his right side at practice here that put him out of the two matches but said he would monitor his recovery "day by day" before deciding when to return.

The team for Australia assembles for a weeklong camp in Jamaica immediately after the Red Stripe Bowl final at Sabina Park October 23, before leaving November 1 for Perth where the first match starts on November 7.

© The Barbados Nation