BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 12 March 2007 — Brian Lara has seen it all before, so he’s not in a panic.
More than three decades after winning the first World Cup, the West Indies finally gets to host cricket’s quadrennial showpiece.
And while Lara considers a terrible batting collapse and a nine-wicket loss to India in its last warmup match as a setback, he does not think it will harm the West Indies squad’s chances.
“This is a team that over the past few years has beaten everyone else and we have played some very good cricket, but we have been unpredictable,” Lara told a news conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on the eve of the opening ceremony.
Media outlets across the Caribbean were highly critical in the wake of the West Indies’ loss.
“Part-time cricketers would not have embarrassed themselves in the manner as the West Indies professionals did,” The Nation newspaper in Barbados said.
The Jamaica Gleaner described it, simply, a “Shocker.” Lara acknowledges that the West Indies are prone to be erratic, but took exception to his squad being dubbed “laissez-faire.” “I don’t think people should be so sarcastic about this team and I don’t agree about laissez-faire,” he said. “I am confident we will bounce back in the competition.” After getting bundled out for 85 against India, “We talked about getting our act together,” Lara said. “We tend to be unpredictable, this was not a one-off and it is something we are trying to stamp out.” After its big win, the India squad had the day off Saturday and went sight-seeing around Montego Bay.
The squads from South Africa, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka flew into Jamaica for yesterday’s opening ceremony.
Organizers confirmed that West Indies’ great allrounder Sir Garfield Sobers would officially open the World Cup at Trelawny and that all 10,000 tickets had been sold for the three-hour event being billed as “West Indian Energy.” Pakistan will stay behind to play the West Indies in Tuesday’s tournament opener at Sabina Park in Kingston, where seats are still being installed at the revamped stadium.
Like Lara, the local organizers are not concerned about preparations going to the wire, insisting that the venues will be ready on time.
Twelve of the 16 teams leave early today to prepare for the matches in Groups A to C, while Zimbabwe and Ireland remain in Group D with Pakistan and West Indies.
Pakistan won the 1992 World Cup, when rival captains Lara and Inzamam-ul-Haq were playing in the tournament for the first time.
Pakistan’s best performance since was reaching the final in 1999.
The West Indies won the biennial Champions Trophy - the second biggest limited-overs event - in 2004 and reached the final of the 2006 edition in India last year, losing to Australia after another batting collapse.
“I’d prefer it if we were very consistent and not unpredictable,” said Lara, hoping to inspire some extra self-belief before he retires from one-day cricket. “The pressure of the situation gets to the team.” The West Indies and Pakistan are expected to advance to the Super 8 round as Nos. 1 and 2 in the group, but cannot afford to take either Zimbabwe or Ireland lightly.
Zimbabwe has caused some upsets at the World Cup, including its very first full limited-overs international in 1983 against Australia, while Ireland went close against South Africa last week.
Ireland captain Trent Johnston defended the appearance of the six associate member teams which qualified for the World Cup, despite criticism from the likes of Australia captain Ricky Ponting that 16 teams make the event too long.
“I’m not saying we’re here to win three games,” Johnston said. “We have to be a part of this, to witness what goes on here ... it’s a learning experience. It’s going to bring Irish cricket forward.”
