How 'our man in Washington' made Lara a winner again (4 April 1999)

AT 4.27 pm Caribbean time on Tuesday, the Kensington Oval in Barbados erupted as thousands of people charged on to the field, stooping to kiss the pitch and surrounding the pavilion as their new anthem

04-Apr-1999

4 April 1999

How 'our man in Washington' made Lara a winner again

Peter Roebuck

Brian Lara had just thrashed a drive through the covers to end the best Test match I've seen and to complete one of the greatest innings ever played.

Little did the Barbadian fans realise that among the key men behind the transformation of West Indies cricket were their former ambassador to the United States and a young Englishman who had been given the job of fielding coach after writing a critical letter to a Caribbean magazine.

It had been quite a transformation. Not long before, West Indies had been 98 for six in reply to Australia's 499. A fortnight previously they had been skittled for 51, their lowest ever score. Now they have taken a 2-1 lead in the series. Steve Waugh had scored 199, Glenn McGrath had taken nine wickets and still the Australians had lost. Notwithstanding the contributions of colleagues, it had all been due to the captaincy and batting of one man. It had been quite a turnaround, too, in the life and times of Brian Charles Lara.

Five months ago, West Indies cricket reached its nadir as Lara, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Carl Hooper sat sulking in a London Heathrow hotel and refused to join the tour to South Africa until their pay dispute had been settled. To their dismay, the younger players had been dragged into the affair only to discover the senior men were mostly seeking more money for themselves.

Appalled, the chairman of the board, Pat Rousseau, a brusque businessman, promptly sacked the captain and his deputy. Furious arguments ensued and Walsh refused to meet Rousseau. Dr Ali Bacher arrived and Nelson Mandela sent a message - and still the dispute continued.

Meanwhile, Lara swanned around in his self-indulgent way. Under his leadership, the players had become selfish and unfulfilled. Far from instilling pride in representing the region, he had allowed his team to fragment. He hardly deserved to follow in the wake of the great men of the past, from Constantine and Warrell to Richards and Lloyd.

Eventually the board capitulated, whereupon a broken team went to South Africa and was duly thrashed 5-0. At times they hardly seemed to be trying. Respected critics were aghast. Michael Holding called Lara "a spoilt child". Tony Cozier advocated his sacking. Asked to name a replacement, Cozier replied "anyone".

Anyone could see Lara was miserable, that his astonishing talent was being squandered. Around the Caribbean a clamour rose for his dismissal. Only his fellow Trinidadians said he should be given one last chance.

To widespread surprise, the board decided to retain Lara as captain. Indeed, he was put in charge for two matches and told to change his ways. No longer could he arrive late or play golf on practice days. Lara had expected the worst, he knew he had failed. Captaining the West Indies had been an end and not a beginning.

Reprieved, he realised that he could still join the great men. He meant to take this chance. Fortunately, Lara was not asked to work alone. As their next step, the board had invited Barbados' former ambassador in Washington, Dr Rudi Webster, to return as an adviser. Lara had never had anyone close to him. Joey Carew had been his surrogate father, but became a mere apologist for him. Webster, a doctor of radiology who played for Warwickshire, had previously helped Viv Richards to realise his talents during Kerry Packer's World Series and he knew his way around gifted and explosive sportsmen.

Rousseau had wanted to send Webster to South Africa but the players had refused. Now they accepted him and were immediately impressed as, with gentle words and laughter, Webster set about reminding Lara of his abilities and opportunities.

Lara had never seen any footage of his great innings at Sydney, the 277 that seemed to herald a phenomenon. Now it was given to him and he remembered. Webster also encouraged other players to recall their dreams and to show pride. He reminded players how much West Indians care about cricket and how easily they could turn jeers to cheers. Everyone was tired of defeat and defeatism. Sensing the new mood, the public honked their horns and signed cards as gestures of support, wore red and white on match days and lustily sang the anthem provided by the Trinidad calypsonian Dave Rudder - Rally Round the West Indies.

Nor was it only Webster. West Indies also hired a fielding coach, Julian Fountain, from Hampshire, after he had written to the Caribbean Cricket Quarterly, criticising their methods. Fountain, who played for Somerset Schools, introduced baseball skills, sharpened the fielding and, more importantly, brought Ambrose and Walsh into the fold by cheerfully treating them like everybody else.

In Barbados, the Antiguan Ambrose was a new man, batting doggedly and clapping and cheering as the winning runs were scored. At first, these changes did not bring results. Indeed, the West Indians were badly beaten in Trinidad, but some promising signs could be detected and the Australians were held for three days. Supporters could see changes in Lara as he repeatedly ran from slip to help his bowlers and put his own head down. At last the West Indians looked like a team.

Nor did the hosts start well in Jamaica. They were 37 for four in reply to Australia's 257. Moreover, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Hooper were still missing. Now came Lara's first great innings, a controlled effort played on a superb pitch and against complacent opponents. West Indies batted for an entire day without losing a wicket. Shaken, the Australians collapsed and suddenly the series was tied at 1-1. No one could quite believe it. Was it a fluke?

Few thought Lara could play as well again. He has a history of playing great innings in isolation and had seemed to lack the ambition and stamina demanded by greatness. Significantly, though, Sabina Park had rallied to him even before the match. They used to boo him. Lara could feel the cricket community gathering behind him. Seldom has a man seemed more disappointed to lose a toss than was Lara at Kensington Oval.

At first his worst suspicions were confirmed in a match that was to be dominated by its greatest players. Lara was dismissed cheaply but, inspired, his team fought back. West Indies has found some solid men, Jimmy Adams and Sherwin Campbell amongst old lags, Ridley Jacobs and Nehemiah Perry among the new faces. Gone are the idlers and pretenders of recent times. Even the old stagers of Ambrose and Walsh managed 38 on the last wicket as the Australians drifted.

None the less, the visitors led by 161 and all appeared lost. Then Walsh went to work, Campbell executed the run-out of Michael Slater and Australia went to pieces. Next came an exhausting, exhilarating and emotional last day upon which a young man confirmed he had set aside the yearnings of youth and accepted the responsibilities incumbent upon his position and the opportunities presented by his talent.

Lara played an innings of remarkable calm and unfailing judgment. He late-cut fiercely, pulled thunderously, drove sumptuously and mauled the leg-spinners. It was the innings of a warrior. It was also the innings of a truly great batsman. Cricket had rediscovered Lara. And, with a little help from his friends, Lara had rediscovered himself.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)