Lara's role under microscope (11 January 1999)

11 January 1999

Lara's role under microscope

The Christchurch Press

Brian Lara's future as West Indies cricket captain, already dubious after four consecutive test losses in South Africa, hinges on the recommendations of two equally illustrious internationals.

West Indies Cricket Board chairman Patrick Rousseau said in Christchurch yesterday that Lara's captaincy would feature in the tour reports of manager Clive Lloyd and coach Malcolm Marshall.

Not only are the West Indies facing a whitewash under Lara's leadership, but the man who holds the world records for highest test and first-class scores has seemingly been reduced to the ranks of mere mortals.

"I don't know if (the captaincy) is affecting him, as it does with most people when they take on that responsibility," said Rousseau, the West Indian spokesman at the ICC meeting in Christchurch.

"This is only his second tour as captain. There were some problems adjusting but I don't know if that is still the case."

Rousseau said there were no lingering problems from the contract dispute which delayed the start of the historic first West Indian tour to South Africa.

Both Lara and his team have suffered because of the failure of various opening combinations to provide a solid foundation, said Rousseau.

"If the openers are not batting it means he and Chanderpaul become the opening bats and that's pretty tough on them. They are stroke-players."

Rousseau said the demise of West Indian cricket had been a great disappointment, "not just the results but the manner in which they have played. They have not batted well, the top half have been very poor. They have just failed to perform."

Former international Conrad Hunte, with the aid of the Barbados Government, has enlisted legendary openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes in a bid to remedy the problems at the top of the order.

Although he acknowledged Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose, the last survivors of the feared West Indian fast bowling battery, were nearing the end of their careers, Rousseau was more upbeat about finding adequate replacements.

"There is some potential coming along behind them, three on the tour and three or four more at home," he said.

Rousseau denied suggestions that tall, young West Indian men were more attracted to professional basketball in the United States than fast bowling. While television exposure had greatly popularised basketball, it was not yet a serious competitor.

"The real problem is they have not been playing organised cricket in the secondary schools," he said. "They have school teams but it is not organised like it was 20 years ago.

"The Government, as part of their education policy, removed the programme for compulsory games and never substituted anything for it. It's also affected soccer. We are suffering because the volume of people playing cricket is down.

"We have started programmes to get cricket back in the schools over the last three or four years but it will take time."

Rousseau said more discussions were required before a West Indian tour of New Zealand next summer could be confirmed.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)