ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC):

The former England cricket captain Allan Lamb has blasted the current group of West Indies cricketers as players lacking in discipline, who act like "prima donnas" and behave like "millionaires".

Lamb, in St. George's this week to promote an international cricket festival here later this year, has described the current crop of players as the "worst West Indies side" he has ever seen.

"I feel the problem with the players is that they think they are prima donnas, they walk around, they do not show much respect," said Lamb, named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1981.

"I think that there is only one guy there, (Shivnarine) Chander-paul, who has held that side and fought. The rest come in playing shots like they are all millionaires, they don't need the money to play cricket anymore."

Subject of criticism

Last week Saturday, West Indies crushed England to win the one-day series two games to one after losing the four-match Test series 3-0.

Apart from those recent one dayers where critics have said they have seen improvements, the overall performance of the players has been the subject of severe criticism, particularly after a weak display in the recent Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean.

"There is some talent there but these guys walk around like they are all superstars and they are not. They are just ordinary players," said Lamb, who played 79 Test matches and captained England in three of them.

Lamb holds the distinction of being one of only six players to have batted on all five days of a Test match.

Born in Cape Province, South Africa, Lamb took advantage of his parents' English heritage to play for England after South African was banned from international cricket because of its apartheid regime.

Get act together

Lamb believes the West Indies Cricket Board should "get its act together" and start working with younger players.

"This is what they did not do (in the past) and this is what has to happen to West Indies cricket. They have got to become very disciplined. I don't think that the West Indies side is very disciplined at the moment," said Lamb, who played against a West Indies side which dominated world cricket then.

"There should be pride in playing for the West Indies. When they put on a West Indies sweater there should be pride. They need to get a very good coach and discipline these guys. They have to teach them respect and show them some pride in playing for the West Indies."

The West Indies cricket team is currently in Ireland playing a quadrangular one-day series which also involves Netherlands and Scotland.