ADELAIDE, Australia (CMC):
DESPITE HIS own pivotal role in the West Indies' 58-run
victory over Pakistan yesterday, Brian Lara dismissed any
suggestion that his side will hold the
advantage when they face the same
opponents in the decisive final preliminary match of the VB Series in Perth on Tuesday (Monday night Caribbean time).
Lara equalled his One-Day Internat-ional (ODI) best of 156 in lifting the Caribbean side to a ground record 339 for four at the Adelaide Oval, before his bowlers limited the Pakistanis to 281 for nine in reply.
"There is no advantage," Lara stated emphatically in the aftermath of
the Adelaide victory, their first of the tournament.
IMPORTANT GAME
"Both teams are going to head to Perth knowing that the game on Tuesday is the important one. It doesn't matter what happens between Australia and Pakistan on Sunday. There's going to be a lot of nerves, but the better team on the day will win."
Despite the inevitable focus on his own spectacular innings, the West Indies captain repeatedly emphasised the value of teamwork and the need
for every member of the squad to
contribute.
"I'm quite happy that I was able to do something for the team, but that is all in the past now," Lara reiterated.
"I'm looking forward to Tuesday and good performances from the eleven guys who take the field."
With his team facing do-or-die matches yet again in the latter stages of a
competition, the champion batsman
conceded that overall performances remain a major problem.
"We played four games at the ICC Champions' Trophy, and listening to everyone speak before the match against Bangladesh, they thought that if any (established) team could be upset, it would be the West Indies," Lara noted.
VIRTUAL FINALS
"Playing against South Africa, Pakistan and then England they were all virtual finals. We seem to want to corner ourselves and be in a must-win situation. Hopefully we can get out of that, but we do find ourselves in that
situation now, and maybe that's one thing that will work in our favour on Tuesday."
In keeping with his oft-espoused team ethic, Lara acknowledged the contributions of others in the stay-alive victory over Pakistan.
"My effort was important, but the
contribution of (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul was also very important, along with Wavel Hinds at the end of the innings," Lara contended.
"Also in the field, we had a couple good catches, the guys generally bowled well. It's important that the entire team play well. We're going to go to Perth not on the strength of one individual, but on the strength of knowing that our game is coming together and we're starting to play as a unit."
