Fire unfair umpires, not Lara

THE EDITOR: Citizens for a Better Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT) joins President George Maxwell Richards in supporting Brian Lara’s captaincy of the West Indies Cricket team. The Trinidad and Tobago Head of State has openly come out in support of Lara’s leadership of the regional side. We are opposed to former captain Sir Vivian Richards and others who are calling for the star batsman’s resignation as captain of the West Indies team. These same critics should be calling for the resignation or firing of umpires who repeatedly give unfair decisions to Lara. We believe that the West Indies selectors have not treated Lara with the greatest honour and dignity. He should have been selected to represent the West Indies a year or two before he was selected to play his first test against Pakistan.

To make matter worse, this cricketing genius was dropped after scoring a well-played 44 in the first innings of his first Test match. A new captain at this time is unlikely to make a difference to the team’s fortune. On more than one occasion in the recent past, the West Indies Cricket Board has appointed a new captain of the regional team hoping for better results but this did not happen. Former captains Courtney Walsh, Jimmy Adams and Carl Hooper made no difference to the fortunes of the side because it did not possess players of the quality of previous regional teams.

It’s unlikely that vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan could make a difference at this time to the team’s fortunes although some may think otherwise. We have players in the Caribbean with great potential and once we find the right combination, which it is hoped will be soon, the team will get better. While some may have good reasons for asking Lara to step down as captain of the regional side, the fact is that the world record holder for the most runs in an inning in both First Class and Test cricket, must be wary of detractors who are envious of his many successes as a cricketer.

HARRACK BALRAMSINGH
La Romaine