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Lara urges seniors to perform

Simon Cambers | March 15, 2004 10:26 IST
Last Updated: March 15, 2004 11:45 IST


West Indies captain Brian Lara called on his senior players to bounce back from the side's humiliating 10-wicket loss to England in the first Test at Sabina Park on Sunday.

The home side were skittled for 47 in their second innings, their lowest Test total, before lunch on day four, leaving England just 20 runs for victory and a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

"There was no devil in the pitch and we definitely faltered today," Lara told reporters. "The senior players have to realise that we went wrong in this game and we have to rectify that and move on."

"The good thing is that a lot of the inexperienced players did really well, Devon Smith and Ryan Hinds with the bat and Tino Best and Fidel Edwards with the ball."

Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Lara could muster only nine runs between them as fast bowler Steve Harmison ripped through the top order before finishing with career-best figures of seven for 12.

However, despite the team's capitulation, Lara said wholesale changes should not be made for the second Test, which starts in Trinidad on Friday.

"All in all, I think it was a good first three days," he said. "Then it came down to who batted better in the second innings and Harmison and (Matthew) Hoggard bowled really well."

"I don't think it (the collapse) really needs explaining. What we have to do is get that edge that we had before the series started."

"I don't think it was anything special from the English today. Our team is still moving forward and we have a chance to come back and win this series."

Lara, who batted on Sunday with heavy strapping on the little finger on his right hand that he dislocated in the field on the second day, said he expected to be fully fit for the second Test.

Fast bowler Fidel Edwards, who strained his side during the Kingston match, will be monitored by the West Indies medical staff in the hope he can play in Trinidad.


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