He no longer has the pace that once rattled the great Ricky Ponting.

But it seems West Indies quick Kemar Roach still has the same old confidence.

Roach will go down in cricket folklore as the man who forced the battle hardened Ponting to retire hurt at the WACA six years ago.

• Peter Siddle backs West Indies to fire
• Who on Earth are these touring West Indies cricketers?
• Why the pink ball can’t save Test cricket

Roach was quick to play down talk of a similar fire and brimstone display in the first Test against Australia in Hobart starting on Thursday.

However, he couldn’t resist launching a verbal bouncer, saying the Windies looked forward to embracing their underdog tag and silencing their critics.

Asked if he was as quick as 2009, the 27-year-old Roach said: “No, I’m not faster now.

“I’m getting older.

“I believe in getting the job done that’s what’s important and that’s what I’m here to do.”

Roach described the 2009 incident in which he made Ponting retire hurt for the first time in his career and head straight to the hospital for X-rays as “good memories”.

Ricky Ponting receives treatment after being struck on the elbow by a short delivery from Kemar Roach in 2009. Photo: Getty

“Ricky Ponting was a great batsman for Australia, and to go out there and give him a hard time at the crease was a good thing for me at a young age,” he said.

Roach has lost a yard or two since after battling an ankle injury and a horror car accident last year.

But the old Roach self-confidence was still evident.

“My role has changed since 2009. I’ve had a lot of injuries the last couple of years and that’s set me back a bit,” he said.

“But there’s a reason I’m here.

“The selectors have put their faith in me to come down here and do the job.

“I believe in myself as well so I’ll go out there and give it my best shot.”

Roach featured in the Big Bash League for Brisbane in 2012 and discovered that bowling Down Under was “simple”.

“Hitting the areas as much as possible has always been the way in Australia,” he said.

The lowly ranked Windies have been given little hope of pushing the first Test into a fourth day in Hobart after a disastrous tour start.

They lost by 10 wickets to a Cricket Australia XI featuring six on first-class debut.

But Roach – who will lead the new ball attack with spearhead Jerome Taylor – was defiant.

“I love being the underdogs. If we can come out on top then it’s going to be a whole different story – they will change their mouths,” he said.

-AAP