Lara counting on fightback

KINGSTON: West Indies captain Brian Lara has not given up hope and is clutching on to the expectation of a fightback in the current Cable and Wireless One-Day International series against Australia.

The World Cup champions flashed two weekend wins over the West Indies for a 2-0 lead in the seven-match series but Lara hopes his young side can improve and make a fight of the series. “It’s a hard task to win the series but if we play well on the day anything can happen,” Lara told reporters after his team’s eight-wicket defeat in the second match on Sunday at Sabina Park. “Man of the Match” Glenn McGrath claimed four for 31 off 10 overs to wreck the Windies for 163 and the Australians cruised to 166 for two off 35.1 overs for a comfortable advantage heading into the third match in St Lucia tomorrow. Australia had won the opening match on Saturday by two runs.

The West Indies top-order crumbled on Sunday and after slipping to 75 for five in the 22nd over, there was little chance of threatening the Australians. “We have to focus on the match on Wednesday and see how we can improve, and I am sure you will see a better performance,” Lara said. “We’re growing, we’re trying our best to get things right. I’m not going to make excuses because we are playing against the best in the world and you can’t expect us to win them all,” he added. Lara, who made only five on Sunday, conceded that the Australians are very strong, and suggested they could be the best in the abbreviated game he has seen in his time. “I think they are possibly the best one-day side I have seen put together in my career,” Lara said.