West Indies captain Brian Lara issued an appeal for unity as tensions within the World Cup hosts' camp surfaced after their seven-wicket Super Eights defeat by New Zealand on Thursday.
This latest loss came hot on the heels of a 103-run thrashing by world champions Australia.
Lara's men have now lost both their first two matches in the second phase of the tournament and face an uphill task in qualifying for the semi-finals
PHOTO: AFP
West Indies selector Andy Roberts, during the New Zealand match, gave an interview on local radio saying the five-man panel as whole had, since last month, had no say in the make-up of the team.
The comments from the former West Indies fast bowler came amidst suggestions that only Lara and coach Bennett King were currently picking the side.
"Bennett King is best to answer that," Lara told reporters after Thursday's match.
"I think we picked the best team possible. I can simply say to Andy Roberts that I did not select this World Cup team. I was not there at the meeting. The team was selected without me but I still go out there and fight my best with the 15 players [World Cup squads are 15 strong] given to me."
"Everybody has West Indies' interests at heart and if people want to be critical at this point in time, I don't think it's fair," he said. "We just have to try to play to the best of our ability and get to the semi-finals."
New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was among those surprised by the omission of fast bowler Jerome Taylor, which meant the West Indies attack had just one genuine quick in Daren Powell, on a pitch Lara had labelled a "batting paradise" after the Australia game.
But Lara, after seeing West Indies bowled out for 177, said batting, not bowling, was the team's biggest problem.
"We haven't scored 250 runs yet in any of our games at the tournament," Lara said. "The significance today [Thursday] was in scoring 177. You can have 10 bowlers and you are not going to defend it."
He said a lack of patience with the bat was proving costly.
"I just think on a couple of occasions guys got set and we didn't go on -- Chris Gayle was looking good, [Ramnaresh] Sarwan and all of a sudden in a matter of three or four overs we had lost wickets. I think maybe the guys are not looking at the fact we've got 300 balls to face," he said.
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal’s FIFA World Cup bid, while others believe his presence would prevent Roberto Martinez’s strong side from flourishing. The debate around the five-time Ballon d’Or winner rages on, as it did at UEFA Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar — yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup. The 41-year-old remains a global superstar despite swapping the European elite for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, and is the leading men’s international goalscorer with 143 strikes. With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach
Taiwanese sprinter Chen Yi-cen on Friday won the silver medal in the women’s 400m final at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, with a time of 53.16 seconds. Chen, 15, was the youngest among the eight finalists, and her performance also met the qualifying standard of 53.50 seconds for the Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September and October. Chen first made her mark at the National Games in Tainan in 2023, at the age of 13, winning the women’s 400m final in 55.55 seconds to become the youngest gold medalist in the history of the event. Meanwhile,
RSS