Sunday 19 April 2015 19:11, UK
Ian Bell insists England did not underestimate the West Indies ahead of the first Test, despite some injudicious comments from the incoming chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Colin Graves, who starts work as Giles Clarke's successor next month, upped the stakes before the tour started by declaring the hosts "mediocre" and promised "some inquiries" if England did not win the series.
The West Indies hung on for a draw on an unresponsive pitch in Antigua last week and the prospect of a similar wicket in Grenada on Tuesday means fulfilling Graves' expectations could be a tough task.
Do we believe we can win the series? Yes, but there's a lot of hard work needed
But Bell, a veteran of 106 Tests and 11 years on the international circuit, insists the players never underestimated their opponents.
He said: "We're not in control of those comments (from Graves), but we know and respect this West Indies side incredibly.
"I certainly didn't turn up here expecting for them to roll over and this to be an easy series. You never expect that in any international cricket, let alone a Test team.
"I'm not surprised at all. I expected competition. There's some good young players in that West Indies side. We saw the way Jason Holder played at the end, in a fantastic maiden hundred, and the way Jerome Taylor bowled, in particular with the new ball, showed we have to play good cricket here.
"Do we believe we can win the series? Yes, but there's a lot of hard work needed to do that. They are out here to beat us. They have had opportunities to put us under real pressure.
"Would we be disappointed if it was 0-0 going home? Yes of course we would. In any series we played we would be disappointed not to win it but we are out to do that and hopefully this is the start here and then we go on and finish it in Barbados.
"Mentally we have to start again. The scoreboards are back on nought and we've got to work hard for five days to get a result."
Moeen Ali was present at a training session on Sunday having flown in to join the tour party, batting and bowling in the nets in a bid to prove his fitness following an abdominal injury sustained at the World Cup.
Bell said: "Mo is a quality batter and a quality bowler so we will have to fit him in somewhere. With Joe Root, Stokes and Buttler that is an exciting lower order.
"If we can get off to a good start, they're going to be worth watching, especially if Stokesy plays like he did the other day. They'll give a lot of entertainment over the next few months. To be a senior player in the middle of that exciting young group is a nice place to be."
Watch the second Test between West Indies and England live on Sky Sports 2 from 2.30pm on Tuesday.
