"We've been competing really well away from home, which has been an issue for a number of years for us," Jayawardena said Thursday. "We've been dominating at home but away from home we have started winning matches. We've been very consistent."

Sri Lanka, ranked as the No. 3 team in Test cricket, toured the West Indies in 1997 and 2003 and lost each two-Test series 1-0.

Jayawardena said that a stronger mental approach has helped turn around his team's record on foreign soil.

"It's a lot to do with mental preparation. I think home conditions, we are very comfortable with, we're used to. But when we went away from home, we found it difficult settling into those kind of conditions," Jayawardena said.

"But the last three, four or five years I think we've settled nicely, fought very well and competed with the opposition."

This year's series begins with the first of two tests Saturday at Providence.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle is aware of his team's slipping reputation and is keen to arrest the decline which has seen them anchored at No. 8 on the Test rankings.

"It's going to be tough against Sri Lanka. They have been playing good cricket. It's up to us to put that to a stop," Gayle said.

"We've been also playing good cricket. We started well in South Africa before injuries prevailed so hopefully we can get a good start here and capitalize on that."

West Indies coach John Dyson, who took over last December, coached the Sri Lankans between 2004 and 2005 but plays down any talk of insider knowledge.

"I don't think it's such a huge advantage," the former Australian opener said. "I think everybody in world cricket can look at the statistics and work out who the main players are for Sri Lanka.

"We all know where their strengths are. We all know they've got some world class performers in the team and I don't expect them to go away from that formula."

His opposite number, fellow Australian Trevor Bayliss, said that although his team relied heavily on captain Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara in the batting and world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas in the bowling, there was depth in the side.

"We'll be looking for a number of our other players, less experienced players, to put their hands up and help these guys out," he said.

His captain was encouraged by the hunger from his lesser-known players.

"These guys, when they get the opportunity, they know that it's a lifetime opportunity to play from Sri Lanka and they don't want to let it go," Jayawardena said.

Teams:

West Indies: Christopher Gayle (captain), Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Darren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardena (captain), Malinda Warnapura, Michael Vandort, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas, Rangana Herath, Thilan Thushara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thilan Samaraweera, Ishara Amerasinghe, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedara.

Courtesy - The Island