Best banned from training session

Tino Best was ordered from training yesterday after ignoring the coach Bennett King's pleas to run and holding a photo shoot during practise for West Indies' tour match against Queensland starting on Thursday. The Courier-Mail reported King told Best to put on spikes after slipping while kicking a football for a newspaper picture and when he was slow to return and refused to follow instructions he was sent to the dressing rooms.

Disciplinary problems have hampered West Indies during their drop from world champions to also-rans and King sent an early tour message that this would not be a carefree trip. "I want all the players to be enthusiastic and focused on training," King told the paper. "Discipline is a big thing for us. He didn't want to run over to practice, so I told him he could run back to the dressing shed."

The incident was not expected to affect Best's selection for the four-day match, which is a warm-up for next week's first Test at the Gabba. Best is no stranger to trouble and was banned for bowling bean balls against Sri Lanka this year, but he has worked on the problem and also lifted his pace towards the 150kph mark.

Best, who has played 12 Tests, is part of a speed-focussed attack that plans to exploit Australia's hard pitches during the three-Test series. "They have got a very long line-up," he told the paper. "It's easy for a young fast bowler to be intimidated and I've just got to be patient."