West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara: Four-match series was important. - Reuters

VADODARA, India (CMC):

WEST INDIES captain Brian Lara has underscored the importance of the just-completed four-match one-day international series against India, stressing it was crucial to his team's preparation for the Cricket World Cup.

"This series is very important. My understanding was that it was on the edge, and it might have been called off, but we as players wanted this series really badly because it's international cricket, playing against one of the top-ranked teams in the world in their backyard and we had a lot to gain from it," Lara told reporters on the eve of the fourth and final match which the West Indies lost.

"I think the exercise of getting out there and guys getting a hit and some guys getting a bowl and getting an opportunity to present their case for selection for the World Cup ... was of utmost importance for us and we wish we had some more cricket to play before the World Cup starts," he said.

"We arrived here with a very good record over India the last eight to 10 months and they have clawed their way back," Lara said.