New WI coach vows to lay down Aussie Law

New West Indies coach Stuart Law will follow the Australian way as he tries to turn around the struggling side’s fortunes in his first series at the helm.

In short, there will be more than a touch of compatriot and England mentor Trevor Bayliss about Law's methods, which will be put into action when the Windies begin their three-match ODI series against England in Antigua on Friday, and he does not mind admitting it.

Law worked as assistant to Bayliss when the two Australians were coaching Sri Lanka together, and he learned a hands-off approach can go a long way towards preparing players for international cricket.

The former Queensland and Brisbane Heat coach, who has also had stints with Australia’s national side, has a mighty task on his hands to galvanise a regular winning force in the Caribbean with a line-up minus many of the Windies' best players.

Quick Single: England escape, WI giant hits out

“I learned a lot from 'TB',” Law said when asked about his coaching style.

"I saw the success he had doing that, and you'd be mad not to take a little bit from it.

"When the game starts I get more emotional (than Bayliss), but overall it is an Australia way - to have faith in your players being prepared as well as they can be."

Law, who has signed a two-year deal revealed last year he considered “getting out of cricket” after an emergency meeting of Queensland Cricket's Board resulted in his resignation in 2015.

Quick Single: Law reveals heartache at Queensland axe

As a player, he led Queensland to their maiden Sheffield Shield title in 1994-95, with the Bulls going on to win four more titles in the next seven years under the star batsman’s leadership.

Law's task is perhaps unenviable, a point spelled out by former England seamer Gladstone Small.

The Barbados-born Small regrets much that has happened in his native islands of late, despite wins in two of the last three stagings of the ICC World Twenty20.

"Sadly the West Indies - in the last few years, quite a few years now - just seem to lurch from one crisis to the next," said Small.

"They are not going to have their strongest team (against England) - because the likes of Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and three or four others don't play.

"It's all become a bit of a noose around the necks of the selectors, who can't pick their best players."

Those absences have resulted from a series of stand-offs between playing staff and the West Indies Cricket Board.

But Small still believes that in Law, captain Jason Holder and director of cricket Jimmy Adams, there are some fine men in place.

Quick Single: Reality check follows IPL windfall for Stokes

"I'm a big fan of the captain - only a young cricketer ... (and) Jimmy is a great guy, top cricketer ... he will know what is required.

"I also like the appointment of Stuart Law ... he'll know what sort of cricketer he's looking at .

"I hope Jimmy and Stuart get given the reins, resource to help them develop West Indies cricket, back to where it ought to be.

"It takes a lot of goodwill and resourcing. It doesn't happen overnight - you need to lay those foundations."

Windies veteran Marlon Samuels admitted last month he was considering pursuing a Kolpak deal with Derbyshire, who have since withdrawn their interest, in the United Kingdom.

Quick Single: Samuels mulls Kolpak deal after ODI snub

Samuels was left out of the Windies' ODI squad for the England series as he missed part of the regional Caribbean 50-over tournament after being picked up as a replacement overseas player by the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League.

"Why can't I play some games in the PSL and come back and play against England?" Samuels told SportMax Zone. 

"I'm not 20. You're still telling me to miss out on everything. Why can't you compromise?

"The rule they have doesn't make any sense. You have to compromise. 

"Eoin Morgan, the England captain, is playing in the PSL and then he goes to the Caribbean. 

"Why can't I do the same? Why play hard ball in everything?"

Despite the issues with a number of high-profile players, Law senses he also has a young team who will listen.

"They are very relaxed, but when they play they are high intensity," he said.

"That's how I like to operate. They are self-driven rather than sit back and wait to be told - that's an easier way to coach, to facilitate.

"I don't want to be shouting, telling them what to do."