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Lara tightens grip on captaincy

The match-winning double hundred in the second Test against Australia in Jamaica appears to have created a quantum shift in favour of Brian Lara, with the left-handed master batsman now set to retain his captaincy. Indications out of the West Indies are that Lara will in all probability also lead the side to England for the World Cup.

The West Indies selectors are understood to have recommended that Lara retain the captaincy for the remaining two Tests against Australia, at the least, and the West Indies board is likely to confirm the appointment this weekend.

Lara will spend the weekend under Ian Bishop's captaincy, turning out for Trinidad and Tobago against Barbados, for the final of the Busta first-class competition. Ironically, Bishop was one of the names being touted as a potential captain, in case Lara had to be taken out of the top job.

Michael Holding, among others, has named Bishop as probably the best captain available in the West Indies at this point. Bishop's own form and bouts of injury, howeever, have ensured that he has struggled to hang on to his place in the side.

"I'm more than happy playing under Bishop," a smiling Lara, who seemed to have lost a lot of his inner tension after the win in the second Test, said.

Agencies