Lara is worried (25 November 1998)

25 November 1998

Lara is worried

By Tony Cozier in Johannesburg

Brian Lara is concerned for current West Indian cricketers. He is worried that they are climaxing prematurely and are becoming unable to maintain performance all the way through long encounters.

Using the examples of the two first-class matches on the current South African tour as examples, the captain said the West Indies have frequently held their own or dominated over the first half of matches only to allow the opposition off the hook in the second half.

"To me, it shows up that we're not fully focussed on the four or five-day match and that's a bit of a worry,'' he said. "Over the past few years, the West Indies tend to win Test matches over three days but lose over five. That is something we're going to be focussing on this series.''

He cited the last tour of Australia two years ago when the West Indies won at Melbourne and Perth in three days but were beaten in the first two Tests at Brisbane and Sydney on the fifth day after close first innings contests.

"We have to get the guys to think about the game and think about performing over a five-day period,'' he stressed. "Australia are a good example of being able to play good Test cricket over five days and I want to have a team that is capable of the same.''

Lara said the situation has "a lot to do with mental and physical preparation. A lot of regional games in the Caribbean tend to finish in three days and maybe that mindset is creeping in,'' he added. "We have a bit of homework to do in getting the guys concentrating for longer periods and we intend to do it.''

At Kimberley in the opening first-class match on this tour, the West Indies could not convert a first innings lead of 195 into victory as Grigualand West scored 439 for nine in their second innings through a record eighth wicket stand of 144.

At Bloemfontein on Monday, they were beaten by two wickets as Orange Free State reached their target of 438 through another record partnership of 135 unbroken for the ninth wicket. Of their 32 Tests since 1995, the West Indies have won eight in less than five days against two that went into the fifth day, both against England last season. They have lost six inside four days and five on the fifth day.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)