Lara: It's Do or Die
West Indies captain Brian Lara says the regional team must approach tonight's game against Australia as a "do or die" encounter to keep hopes alive for the rest of the VB one-day series.
"It's very important, not just because it's the last crack, it's important for points. We haven't had a win under our belts as yet, we need to get some points and to get to the other two teams so we?re playing this game as a do-or-die situation," Lara said at a pre-match press conference.
Excerpts from the press conference with teh West Indies skipper follow:
On the approach for the game against Australia:
Most importantly we?ve got to play like if it?s a hundred overs we?ve got out there in the middle, play good cricket and forget about all the outside elements. It?s important that we concentrate on what we?ve got to do, the pitch conditions, the weather conditions are going to dictate what you?re going to do at the toss but our game is really around performing for a hundred overs and being the better team at the end of the day.
On whether the weather conditions and the awkward shape of the ground would affect the team plans:
A lot of things have to be taken into consideration but the team performed really well in Brisbane against Australia. We have to make sure that we have to have the guys as confident as possible. I?m thinking that the attack looked good, the batting line-up looked good, everyone made a contribution and we?d be looking toward maybe employing the same, we don?t know, I?m just letting you know the final eleven hasn?t been settled yet. It?s important to understand that we?ve got 14 guys capable of doing the job.
On the importance of the game against Australia:
It?s very important, not just because it?s the last crack, it?s important for points. We haven?t had a win under our belts as yet, we need to get some points and to get to the other two teams so we?re playing this game as a do-or-die situation. It?s important psychologically as well if Australia can go into the finals with a loss under their belt. They would have to think about something so we?re looking at different aspects of the game to come out with a win.
On the performance against Australia at The Gabba:
It was a good performance on the back of a very dismal performance at the MCG. The guys picked themselves up and we?ve been improving every single game. We?re not scared of the Australians, we know they are favourites in almost every tournament that they play in but we?re not scared of them.
We know that if we put our best foot forward we can match them and every team in the world knows that if they play to the best of their ability they can match them. What Australia has got is consistency over everyone and we?re improving, we?re getting into the right momentum and hopefully it will take us through not just tomorrow but also Friday and against Pakistan in Perth.
On getting early wickets:
We?ve spoken about taking early wickets. They have got on any given day eleven match winners out in the middle and they?ve got guys who can open and one day they?re batting at number seven as you see with Michael Clarke. It?s important to put them under pressure by taking wickets and that?s what we did. We?ve got Pedro Collins who can swing the ball, Mervyn Dillon who can get some bounce and Bradshaw who can put the ball on the spot.
So it?s important that we try to maintain that focus and making sure that we get early wickets so it?s a position that we want to find ourselves in again if we want to beat Australia.
* Transcript provided by team sponsor Digicel.