LARA
KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC):
IN ANOTHER attack on the Sabina Park pitch, West Indies captain Brian Lara said it was "totally underprepared" and "not worthy" for such a crucial Test after his side lost the fourth and final match against India by 49 runs in three days and hence the series 1-0.
As was the case on the eve of the match, Lara again denounced the preparation which he said was more favoured to Rahul Dravid's team, but he still found time to laud his side for playing "good cricket" ever since the season started in late April against Zimbabwe.
"The guys played good cricket. They played 16 games over the Caribbean summer and we won nine games, drew a few and we lost this one," Lara said at a post-series press conference.
"I think it's unfortunate that they spoilt it at the last, but I think I am still very proud of the guys. I thought we played hard cricket, good cricket and unfortunately today (Sunday) we were undone by a team that played better, applied themselves better, but also a pitch that I think that was not worthy for such an important Test match.
"The pitch for this Test match again, it reminds me of listening to West Indies play 30 years ago where we used to destroy Australia but everytime we got to Sydney, we used to lose. It seems that here it was totally prepared for the Indians."
GUT FEELING
Lara said he had a gut feeling West Indies would be under pressure to win the match if the luck of the toss did not go his way, based on the nature of the pitch.
"Here I knew from the very first day that it was difficult to win the match if we lost the toss. The team that was batting last, it was very, very difficult."
But he also placed some of the blame on his batsmen after West Indies could only muster 103 - their lowest total in Tests against India - to concede a first innings lead of 97.
"Of course, inept batting in our first innings, I was surprised and I am almost sure that Rahul Dravid was surprised the way the pitch played on the first day to be bowled out for 200, and for us to follow that up with 103. I thought we lost the Test match there.
"But even if we made 250, 300 and India got skittled out and then we won the game, it would still be finished today or early tomorrow (Monday). How could you want a Test match to finish so early because of the state of a pitch.
"I think it was totally underprepared for good, hard cricket, and I think the teams played well and it came down to this and it was unfortunate."
Lara said there were clear signs that the pitch was not of a good standard as he referred to India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh taking five wickets for 13 runs off 4.3 overs on the second day, and the manner of West Indies opener Daren Ganga's dismissal for the topscore of 40 in the first innings.
DID NOT LOSE SERIES
"I am proud of the players that we did not lose the series 3-0. On the whole, I think that we played very good cricket and there is something that we can take out of this series moving forward.
"As I said, these conditions favoured the opposition. You look at that track and go out there and bat on that track. For a spinner to take five wickets on the morning of the second day, turning the ball square, Ganga playing back to a ball pitched two feet outside off stump, and getting lbw, the pitch suggested that all wasn't well," Lara said.
