West Indies captain putting team's goals first (25 October 1998)

25 October 1998

West Indies captain putting team's goals first

The Barbados Nation

Double World record holder Brian Lara is no longer chasing new personal landmarks.

The West Indies cricket captain said his chief aim these days is to restore West Indies to the pinnacle of the world game.

Nevertheless, he is happy that his individual Test match score still stands after it seemed in danger when Australian captain Mark Taylor reached the 15th triple-century in Test cricket.

But Taylor surprised the world by declaring with his score on 334 not out in the second Test in Pakistan.

"I know that I said that I may try to do better than the 375 but now my aims have changed.

"All my efforts are to see West Indies back on top of the world cricket," said Lara, who also has the highest first-class score of 501 not out.

The West Indies have an opportunity to begin the climb back to international One-day success in the Wills International Cup tournament which started in Bangladesh yesterday.

Lara's West Indians are due to arrive in Dhaka today to join the other eight Test-playing countries in the tourney which aims to raise funds for the development of the sport in non-traditional regions.

Speaking before flying out to London to join other members of the regional team for the competition, Lara said: "We are fit and match-ready.

"We do not want to spend one day in Bangladesh," he said of the tournament which is being played on a straight knockout basis.

"We hope to stay for the nine days and win the final before going over to South Africa for the other leg of our trip," the left-handed batsman said.

He said the absence of veteran fast bowler Curtly Ambrose would be felt but he was certain the team would still do well.

Ambrose, whose replacement is Reon King of Guyana, asked the West Indies Cricket Board last week to be excused from the One-day series in order to supervise repairs to his home which was damaged by Hurricane Georges.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)