da bet7： Brian Lara once again cited Greg Chappell’s comments – that West Indies’poor run of form had made it difficult for them to win close games – as the spur for a thrilling three-wicket triumph at the Motera Stadium
Dileep Premachandran at Ahmedabad26-Oct-2006
‘It’s very good to see the younger players make a contribution’ © Getty Images
Brian Lara once again cited Greg Chappell’s comments – that West Indies’poor run of form had made it difficult for them to win close games – as the spur for athrilling three-wicket triumph at the Motera Stadium. The victory not onlytook West Indies into the semi-finals as they seek to defend the trophythey won two years ago in England, but it also ensured that eitherAustralia or India, two of the pre-tournament favourites, will be missingfrom the climactic week of action.Addressing the media after his batsmen had chased down 223 with two ballsremaining, Lara said: “Going back to that statement that Greg [Chappell]made in Jamaica, the guys are really determined each time they get out onto the field against India. We’ve done that in the Caribbean, and inMalaysia we had a win and a loss. Here again, most importantly, playingIndia at home, the guys knew the enormous task it was.”Yes, we were winning against them, but in foreign conditions to them.Playing here in Ahmedabad, they definitely had the advantage, with thecrowd and knowing the pitch. We wanted to win, and we planned to win, andthe guys executed well.”Despite a worrying wobble at the end, Lara was more than satisfied withthe manner in which the top order went about the task, propelled byanother blistering cameo from Chris Gayle. “I thought it was very wellcalculated by all the batsmen,” he said. “Partnerships were veryimportant, and it was a lot of mature batting from the likes of ChrisGayle and right through. Dwayne Bravo, batting for the first time at No. 3,had a 50-run partnership with Chanderpaul, the man of the match, whoguided it.”Sarwan seems to be gaining more and more with experience, showing theclass and determination that he has. It was a good victory, but notcomprehensive. It came down to the last. Someone was saying: ‘West Indieswill always give you excitement’. We gave you this match and we gave you ado-or-die in Mohali on Sunday (laughs).”Though he didn’t focus too much on individuals, Lara was delighted withthe form shown by Runako Morton, who followed up a superb 90 againstAustralia with a vital 45 in this game. “We’ve been working on getting himto play a lot of shots and manoeuvring the ball around the field,” hesaid. “He knew he had to work on it, and was willing to do it. What weknow about Morton is that he doesn’t give up his wicket very cheaply, andhe’s someone that done very well in Test matches in recent times. Now’s headapting to the one-day game, and he’s definitely someone we like havingaround. The last two games, he’s shown that he wants to be in the team.Consistency is now what’s expected.”
‘It was a good victory, but not comprehensive. It came down to the last’ © AFP
In the space of little over a week, West Indies have prevailed over bothAustralia and India, and Lara, who played his part in the first triumphwith a dazzling 71, refused to rate one above the other. “We spoke aboutthese two games, playing against the No. 1 team in the world and playingagainst the hosts, and I don’t think any one gave us more satisfaction,”he said. “If we get past the first round in the World Cup, Australia andIndia are two teams we’re going to meet in the second round. Getting thatadvantage, playing away from home and beating them, is good. But we’ve gotto move on. This is just the build-up to it [the World Cup], and I’m veryhappy with the way we’re approaching it.”The upswing in West Indies’ one-day fortunes has coincided with Lara’sthird stint at the helm, and he attributed recent impressive victories tomore thorough preparation off the field. “I think regrouping and findingout exactly where we’ve been going wrong,” he said, when asked if he couldpinpoint a factor or two for the reversal of fortune. “It’s never been asituation where we’re short in confidence, or on talent. It’s aboutgetting it together, and doing a lot of background work. The guys talk alot of cricket off the field, that’s where you learn the game. It’s verygood to see the younger players make a contribution and that’s where we’rewinning the game – off the field.”There was some sympathy for an Indian line-up that will face intensecriticism if they exit their own party on Sunday. “The conditions arepretty difficult, the pitches are not batting paradises,” he said. “Indiaalso have a lot of their experienced batsmen up in the top five. So if youkeep them tight, contain and take wickets, it’s a little vulnerable in themiddle. But the likes of [Suresh] Raina and [Mahendra Singh] Dhoni haveless than 100 one-day matches. They’re going to learn the game as they goon, and you expect India in their conditions to excel. In a tournamentlike the World Cup in the Caribbean, where the pitches are similar toIndian ones, I think India are going to be a force to be reckoned with.”His own participation in the game was in doubt till the very last, butLara suggested that pulling out had never really been an option, givenwhat was at stake. “I wasn’t a hundred percent, but I thought we’d leaveit as late as possible,” he said. “This morning, I did some work with thephysiotherapist and felt a lot better. I thought it was a very importantgame for us. We didn’t want to come back on Saturday and have to winagainst England.”The fact that he made only five didn’t bother him, with Marlon Samuels’slash to third man ensuring that there would be no fatal twist in thetale. “It was a short ball, but I didn’t pick up the slower ball,” he saidwhen asked of his dismissal. “I had to try to change the shot midway. Itwas unfortunate to drag it back onto the stumps. But we knew exactly whatwe had to do. We kept wickets in hand, and won at the end of the day.”And after an outing where nearly everyone impressed, it’s going to be abrave man who ridicules their chances of going all the way again.