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West Indies captain Darren Sammy wants his side to draw inspiration from the champion sides of the islands from the 1970s and 1980s as it heads closer to ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. West Indies under Clive Lloyd won the first two ICC Cricket World Cups in 1975 and 1979 and ended as runner-up in the 1983 edition to India. "It is every cricketer's dream to play in a World Cup. It is a very prestigious event and has a rich history. As a team we have had our times in the past especially under Clive Lloyd. It's important that we use all that West Indies has done in its history to motivate us to go out and do well. It's been a while since we won an ICC World Cup, ICC World Twenty20 or any other ODI prize. This could be our turn," said Sammy. As a first step, Sammy himself is going to spend a bit of time talking to former captains Lloyd and Viv Richards to understand what it was to be part of those champion squads. "I spoke to Mr Lloyd about captaincy before the Sri Lanka series. I learnt about leading from the front and motivating the side. I found his advice very useful. I will speak to Viv Richards as well before the World Cup. At the end of the day it is important for us to utilise the experience of all those who have been successful which will only be good for the team and myself. Their experience is invaluable," added Sammy. Sammy was appointed West Indies captain before the recent Sri Lanka tour. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will be the biggest test of his short captaincy career. "Captaining any team is a challenge. The World Cup is the most prestigious prize in cricket. It will be a massive honour for me. I know my team supports me wholeheartedly. The coaching staff has made my job easier. I understand the pressures of being captain at the World Cup. But the experience I have gained and the support of the team makes me confident of a good outing." Sammy believes his side can repeat what Lloyd's side achieved. "It won't be an easy task. But we have the firm belief that we can win. If we didn't have that belief there would be no point for us to be part of such a mega event. The attitude of the team is excellent. It is this attitude of the players which will be the key for us going into the World Cup." According to Sammy, the strength of his squad is its all-round ability. That he thinks will mark his side out as the one to watch out for at ICC CWC 2011. "Our all-round ability provides us with a lot of depth as we have a number of guys who can bat and bowl. That is very important in a one-day set-up. We also have firepower in our batting. As the IPL has shown, finding the boundary is the key in India and our batsmen can do that. Then we have guys like Shiv Chanderpaul who can build an innings. It is the perfect blend," reckoned Sammy. Sammy's first goal for ICC CWC 2011 is to make the semi-final stage. "The last time we made the semi-final was in 1996 under Richie Richardson. This time apart from getting into the second stage, our objective is to get to the semis. From there on it will be down to our self belief to win the World Cup." West Indies' recent Sri Lanka tour had to be aborted before the ODI series began owing to incessant rains. The ODI series will now be played in January 2011. Sammy is quite happy with this development. "I see the delay in the series as a blessing in disguise. We will be the only team playing a series in the Asian sub-continent so close to the World Cup. We will also have a couple of practice games in addition to the series to acclimatise. I don't think any other team will be preparing like us. It will be a good experience for all our youngsters," said Sammy. Sammy was also all praise for coach Ottis Gibson. He believes Gibson's appointment is one of the steps in the right direction for West Indies cricket. "He has been a rock for us. His approach to cricket is tremendous. He is a man of knowledge and experience. He has helped me in my cricket. Ever since he has come on board there has been a great impact on training. He has been instilling a work ethic in the guys. I have full faith in him as a coach and a friend. We are moving forward with him around," added Sammy.