Lara's Career In Limbo (12 Dec 1995)

Lara`s career hangs in limbo - By Tony Cozier

BARBADOS, Dec.11.

Brian Lara has been making all the running in his disagreement with the authorities that has left West Indies cricket in a state of shock and disarray. Originally cast as a prima donna grown too big for his boots after belatedly opting out of the current tour of Australia, Lara has widened the issue. "It`s not only my cause," he told reporters in his first public comment on the controversy. "We`re going through a period where a lot of questions are flying around about the future of West Indies cricket and I see mine as a very small issue in the entire scenario." Instead of sinner, he is emerging as a courageous saviour striving to erase growing indiscipline in the team and to shake an ineffective West Indies Cricket Board of Control out of its lethargy.

Already assured of the support of the people of his native Trinidad & Tobago, where he is uncrowned king, the 26-year-old lefthanded double world record-holder has gained increasing understanding for his position in most of the other territories that comprise West Indies cricket. And the month-old coalition government in Trinidad & Tobago, with its shaky two-seat majority, has lost no time in jumping to his side.

First said simply to be petulantly reacting to a fine of 10 per cent of his fee for deserting the team during last summer`s tour of England, Lara has stated there is more to it than that. ``It`s obvious for people to see that West Indies cricket has a problem, not just because we`re not winning as we`ve been used to,`` he told the London Dally Mirror to which he is contracted. ``West Indies cricket is not just going through a talent problem. There seems to be some other influence causing the demise.``

And he has raised the unthinkable possibility that he may never play for the West Indies again. ``It is more than possibility t hat I may not be picked or decide not to go to the World Cup,`` he was quoted as saying.

It has emerged that Lara`s temporary flight from the team in England was prompted by his increasing exasperation with the boorish behaviour and lack of commitment of some players, the fast bowlers; Curtly Ambrose and Kenny Benjamin, are said to be among the most prominent of those against whom Lara is railing.

Lara felt the bad behaviour and attitude had undermined the team and was being allowed to go unchecked by the board. He spoke out at a team meeting following the Old Trafford Test and told manager Wes Hall ``I couldn`t stay in that kind of atmosphere.`` Persuaded back by WICBC President Mr. Peter Short, he felt the issue had been settled and was taken aback when he had the fine slapped on him as did Ambrose, Benjamin and Carl Hooper for other offences on the tour.

Mr. Short has hastily summoned a special meeting of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control (WICBC) next Friday which he hopes will ``bring this matter to happy ending.`` Acknowledging that Lara ``might justifibly have felt it was the end of the matter`` after their decisive meeting in England, Mr. Short`s position has become increasingly untenable. He will need all his diplomatic skills at Friday`s meeting to save the day.

As ever in a board comprising two representatives from each of the six member territories (Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, the Leeward Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and the Windward Islands, all politically independent) and, nowadays, from a wide variety of backgrounds, it will not be easy.

While the Trinidad & Tobago board has stated: ``We sympathise with Brian`s current anguish...and view his decision as a manifestation of the turbulence now visiting West Indies cricket``, Mr. Clarvis Joseph, President of the Leeward islands association, has a far different view.

decide they are going to pack their bags and leave,`` he said. of criticism is heard, or entertained in Trinidad, Mr. Joseph said: ``The first thing I get when I walk the streets (in Antigua) is, I hope you guys aren`t going to pick Brian Lara again.`` Antigua is home island of both Ambrose and Benjamin.

Jamaica as well,`` he added. And, he claimed, Lara himself was not blameless in the matter of indiscipline, asserting that he had been reported on previous tours but ``this had not come to light``.

Lara was fined 1,000 last year for missing the flight from Trinidad to London en route to India and had a one-match suspension from ICC referee on that tour for showing dissent at an umpire`s decision. Three years ago, he was fined TT400 by the Trinidad & Tobago board for what was described as resigned the position immediately afterwards.

The battle lines, it seemed, were being drawn while the career of one of the most exciting batsmen of his time, hung in limbo.

Source :: The Hindu