CAPTAIN'S LOG: Hopeful to the very end (24 January 1999)

24 January 1999

CAPTAIN'S LOG: Hopeful to the very end

Brian Lara

I had hoped all the way that we were definitely in with a good chance of winning the opening One-Day International against the South Africans. In the end it was nailbiting but very disappointing for us.

The six off the first ball of Neil McGarrell's final over turned things closer their way but I was still not counting us out.

It was just his second One-Day and facing up to the kind of job he had to do in the conditions that existed was a baptism of a kind. I guess that had he contained the pair at the wicket we would be singing a different tune.

In hindsight, it could look to have been a tactical twist that there was no Ambrose or more of a frontliner to wrap things up. But there was another of those opportunities for more guys like the newcomers to know that they do have major roles to play once selected on the team. Ambrose and Walsh won't be around to do it forever.

Due to the rain delay, I and some of the other guys were playing cricket past midnight for the first time. But we had to play on.

The conditions did not allow us to make harsh critical judgments on how the guys played. So it is likely that we'll play an unchanged team for today's match.

Philo (Wallace) did not get off here but we are expecting him to get it right. Chanderpaul and Carl (Hooper) batted soundly but of course they'll have to work on their running between the wickets.

We decided on using Nixon McLean so early for various reasons. He is, of course, the hardest-hitting player we've got. And if we can capitalise on run-getting in the first 15 overs, we wouldn't have to take more chances at the death.

We'd also like to see a lot more all-rounders develop their game.

I'm not going to weigh myself down about my own failure. You may ask about the likelihood of my returning to the opening position. I'm not saying it's not a possibility in the future.

When I used to open, you had guys like Richie (Richardson), Carl, Phil (Simmons), Gus (Logie) to come, so I played with more assurance.

Keith Semple was another of the new lads who probably wouldn't bowl all of the ten overs in a One-Day match unless we see the need. He bowled three good overs of his five.

So we can only remain very competitive and turn things around. We have to.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)