ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Daren Powell would argue with no one about his underachievement with the ball in international cricket.

The West Indies fast bowler has come under the microscope lately, following a string of weak performances and a couple of disciplinary matters.

The 30-year-old Powell has captured 83 wickets at 46.34 apiece in 35 Tests, after he made his debut against New Zealand at Bridge-town seven years ago.

Last year, Powell snared a mere 19 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 58.10, getting a wicket every 98 balls.

"I am also concerned about the way I have been bowling," Powell confessed to reporters, following his batting exploits that helped West Indies draw the third Test against England on Thursday at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

"If I was another player looking in and saw somebody in my shoes not picking up wickets as regular as Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor for the time that I have been around, I would also feel bad about not playing."

Prior to the series, Clyde Butts, convenor of the West Indies selection panel, had indicated that Powell had been put on notice that his performances and his behaviour, too, had to improve or else he would find himself out of the team.

Powell has still not set the series on fire with his bowling. He has taken a mere four wickets at 45.74 apiece and continued to be plagued by inconsistent bowling.

Gripping the ball

"I have a bit of a problem with the way that I grip the ball," he admitted. "I am working on it and it is coming out better. My control is getting better now.

"I will keep on working it, and if I play in Barbados, I will try to bowl more consistently, so that I can pick up wickets.

"I have to back myself out there. I have to put behind me all that is being said and back myself."

Powell's place in the side remains open to serious question, but he is not likely to be left out for the fourth Test, starting on Thursday at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

There are few challengers for his place, although Lionel Baker and Kemar Roach have been waiting in the wings and have been recent West Indies selectees in either Tests or one-day internationals, or both.

But Powell has an incentive to do well in Barbados, as well as the fifth and final Test, starting on March 6 at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad.

"I have predicted that we will beat England 3-0 and for us to be able to achieve this, I have to be taking wickets," he said.

"This is what is driving me during this series and the other guys have been giving me the confidence to go out there and bowl.

"In this game, I bowled well in patches, so it is now for me to put the patches together and make one and, hopefully, I would pick up a lot of wickets."

West Indies lead the five-Test series 1-0, following an innings and 23-run victory in the opening Test at Kingston inside four days when they bowled England out for their third lowest total of 51 in the second innings.