Warwickshire: Lara captaincy skills honed in Test series (10 April 1998)

10 April 1998

Warwickshire: Lara captaincy skills honed in Test series

By Mike Beddow

ONLY the most accomplished side could win seven trophies in five years. Only the most ambitious club would exchange Allan Donald for Brian Lara, the world's leading strike bowler replaced by the world's best batsman.

Some would say that Warwickshire were ingenious, too, in making Lara captain. The West Indies followed suit and thus the apprentice tactician has been hardened at Test level prior to the English summer.

Yet it could have been the other way round. When Phil Neale, the director of coaching, flew to the Caribbean to meet Lara in February, he detected a feeling that the county's move had influenced the selectors' decision.

"It was said to me that if Warwickshire were confident of making him captain, he must be OK. Maybe it did help him get the West Indies job," Neale said.

The change in the overseas position at Edgbaston was enforced because Donald tours with South Africa this year, but the recall of Lara - a throwback to the 1994 summer of three trophies - did not meet with universal approval.

It was one thing to re-sign him as a player, another to rush him into the captaincy. Many members felt Tim Munton had been unfairly treated after missing his one season in office following a back operation. Others recalled more than a trace of incompatibility in Lara's dealings with the previous captain, Dermot Reeve.

This year he will be coming into a different set-up, not least in a new partnership with Neale. By necessity, the side for the opening championship fixture against Durham on April 17 will be framed before Lara arrives on the eve of the match. Neale was told by Lara: "Try to make sure I am included."

"The fact that I got the chance to watch him captain the West Indies was useful," said Neale. "I was quite impressed. He's refreshing in a lot of ways, quite innovative and definitely a student of opposing players."

The bowling will be weaker for the absence of Donald, but other than that, Lara will have as balanced an attack as any on the circuit. Ed Giddins has the chance to re-build his career after a ban for a drugs offence. "He's a very talented bowler," said Neale. "His record says he stays fit and he gets the ball to do things on flat wickets."

Warwickshire await with interest what surfaces other counties prepare for them. They can play the spin game with Neil Smith and Ashley Giles, or compete on the seam front with Giddins, Dougie Brown, Graeme Welch, Gladstone Small and Munton, if he recovers.

Batting options would be cut down if Nick Knight were chosen for England against South Africa. Opening partner Andy Moles is recovering from injury and Mark Wagh and Anurag Singh will be involved in university cricket until July.

All-rounder Smith is a possible stand-in and there is the alternative of promoting from the middle order, where David Hemp, Trevor Penney and Dominic Ostler are chasing two places.

Matthew Hoggard has not been released by Yorkshire, as stated in yesterday's paper.

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