Lara: we want Victory today for pride

DESPITE losing four successive matches and the Cable & Wireless One-Day Internationals series, West Indies captain Brian Lara is still optimistic that his team can salvage some pride and win today’s encounter.

ICC World Cup champions Australia, under the leadership of inspirational record-breaking captain Ricky Ponting won the fourth one-dayer and wrapped up the seven-match series at the famous Queen’s Park Oval yesterday. Playing before an almost full house bedazzled with true Carnival colour and rhythmic Caribbean music,  the rampant Aussies registered their 21st victory in their record-breaking unbeaten reign in ODIs when they romped to a comfortable 67-run victory against Lara’s men. There was collective disappontment among the faithfuls but they will turn out in their massive numbers again today hoping for a change of West Indian fortunes.

Lara himself, badly wants a victory and stressed: “Our approach tomorrow (meaning today) is to go out there and play to the best of our ability and try to get a win for West Indies. “Australia will start as favourites but you have got to say that  the Australians can be beaten one day. They are definitely playing good cricket but I expect my guys to get out there and turn the tables on them.” Taking inspiration and strength from West Indies historic three-wicket fourth Test victory at the Antigua Recreation ground, Lara said: “We showed that we wanted to win in the fourth Test and coming out with that sort of performance, my guys will be positive in the next game.That’s how we approach each game and we are eager to show that we can beat the Australians.”

Conversely, Ponting was upbeat and declared that his team is bent on making a clean sweep. “It’s a lot of hard work to win any match. And that’s one the things I stressed with my guys this morning and got everyone of them to do the work. Once we work hard, the series could be over, and we have done it.” Looking ahead to the other matches, the attractive right-hander stated: “We have improved with every game and we are looking forward to winning the others. “The way the run has been going, makes each win special. Thinking about the record and wanting to stretch it, we can use that as the motivation to win the rest of the games of this series.”