St. Lucia (West Indies), Apr. 3 : England cricket captain Andrew Strauss has insisted that any rifts between players or between players and the team management have been sorted out. He sincerely believes the team is pulling in the same direction.

Ahead of today's deciding fifth one-day clash, The Sun quoted Strauss as saying: "There was potential for us to go off the rails but that hasn't happened. Losing the Test series was bitterly disappointing. But the guys have stuck together very well and that bodes well for the future."

Strauss is desperate to salvage some silverware from England's winter of discontent.

He believes victory over West Indies - and a 3-2 series triumph - would be a springboard for the Ashes summer.

"We will be judged by how well we have done on the pitch not how well we have done in our training sessions. That's why this game is very important for us," Strauss said.

England have won just two matches all winter - one courtesy of the mathematical bungling of West Indies coach John Dyson and the other was rain-reduced.

But Strauss says he is learning fast as captain and has identified ways his England team can improve and become tougher. (ANI)