Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Lara pleads with West Indies selectors for more firepower

Friday, June 16, 2006

by: Jonathan Gaskin

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (AFP): Brian Lara has appealed to the West Indies selection panel for more firepower ahead of the last two Tests against India.

The 37-year-old Lara was appointed West Indies captain for the third time ahead of this year's home series against Zimbabwe and the Indians, but he is not a member of the selection panel, unlike his previous two stints.

Lara has admitted his frustration with the committee that comprises convenor Joey Carew, Gordon Greenidge, Clyde Butts, and head coach Bennett King.

"I've spoken to the selectors and I feel that it's unfortunate that I'm getting a negative feedback," Lara told reporters after the drawn second Test at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.

"I think that as captain of the team that they should have some sort of trust in that person.

"I can only make suggestions. I am not there in the meetings, but it is a simple fact that I want somebody bowling at 90 miles per hour.

"Fidel Edwards got injured, but we have a couple of guys in Tino Best and Jermaine Lawson. You know, pick one."

Edwards, the fastest of the West Indies bowlers, played in the drawn first Test in Antigua, but a right hamstring injury then ruled him out of the second Test.

"I feel I need that fast bowler," Lara urged. "I need that guy that makes the opposition uncomfortable, especially if the pitch is in his favour.

"We know the Indian team loves flat wickets. They love the ball with nothing bouncing above waist high. They love it.

"You saw (Virender) Sehwag bat in this particular Test match. He was actually chipping down to the fast bowlers in the first session."

Lara again demanded that the pitches for the last two Tests at Basseterre in St Kitts and Kingston, Jamaica offer more bounce, pace, and movement to benefit the home team's fast bowlers, rather than India's talented spinners.

"We've got home advantage, and I'm not asking for anything that's going to raise your eyebrows," he said. "I'm just asking for a pitch that a fast bowler is going to enjoy.

"We played a series against England two years ago. Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados had pitches that were favoring fast bowlers.

"England had (Steve) Harmison, (Simon) Jones, (Andrew) Flintoff, and (Matthew) Hoggard, guys who enjoyed the conditions, and we were 3-0 down before we knew it.

"We are not worried about the (Munaf) Patels, the (Shanthakumaran) Sreesanths, the (Irfan) Pathans, and them. We are not worried about them. I think it is about time for them to start worrying about our fast bowlers."

The third Test - the first to be staged at Basseterre - will be contested from June 22 to 26, before the series concludes at Kingston from June 30 to July 4.

Print Page