Lara: A Winning Template

West Indies captain Brian Lara faced the media on Sunday in Karachi ahead of the final Test match against Pakistan. Following are excerpts from his responses:

On how the West Indies team is looking forward to the final Test:

I think we are going to look forward very optimistically. One of the first things we’re going to do is move around with the second Test match in our back pocket.

On whether the Windies not recently winning a Test overseas against a major Test playing nation hampers the side's performance psychologically:

It was one of the motivating factors going into the last day in Multan (second Test). We have to start playing cricket like we did in that last Test match before we even start thinking about winning against teams like Australia, Pakistan and South Africa.

We've got to play good cricket and if we have a hard fought draw especially if the majority of the game we control I think that’s a step in the right direction.

On whether there will be any changes based on the state of the pitch:

We are going to play the best combination and the fact of the matter is if we play 15 sessions of cricket, which is a lot of cricket. Then most teams are going to have a result. We are thinking, it doesn’t matter what the pitch looks like, if we challenge the opposition and get on top and stay on top we can get a win.

On whether he will be keen to perform well given it is likely to be his last Test appearance in Pakistan:

It will be my last Test match in Pakistan and on a personal note I would like to do something special but if after six years you haven’t beaten a major Test playing nation away from home, what a great way to leave Pakistan. That would be my number one aim – to get the team to be very successful, more than my personal aim.

On whether West Indies cricket is moving in the right direction:

The Test match in Multan is one of the better Test matches I've played in a long long time away from home. We did not get the final result but playing against one of the main nations in world cricket and having them under pressure for 14 out of 15 sessions was definitely something to behold. It is like a template, to go forward with that and play cricket that way all the time and I’m sure things are going to turn around.

On how to guard against letting the performance level down:

First of all we have to talk about it and impress upon the team that it's necessary that we go out there and do it again. I can't recall having such a good Test match maybe since going back to the win at Perth in 1997 away from home against one of the major Test playing countries so that is optimism in itself. I feel we are on the road to something.

Any home team scoring 350 would think (they) are in a decent position, maybe not a commanding but decent. The way how we got rid of their total and put on partnerships (was good). At one stage myself and Bravo were shaking hands because of a 200 run partnership and we were 502 for 4. A West Indies team on 502 for 4 in Pakistan or in Adelaide or Perth is something we haven’t seen for quite some time.

We are aware of the situation it is just a matter of letting it unfold over the next five days and see if we can put up five days of cricket together.

On whether vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan will return to the final eleven:

All fifteen players are going to be considered. As I said at the toss and during the (Multan) Test match that Ramnaresh Sarwan still remains one of the brightest talents to come out of the Caribbean in the last 15 to 20 years. He is not someone who we've invested so many Test matches and One Day Internationals to have him sit on the sidelines.

I can already feel that he is very positive and looking forward to the chance if given and he is going to come out and give his best. He shows strong character and I can see already that he is eager to get out in the middle, not only in the Test match but in the One Days and with the World Cup coming up that is very positive for our cricket.

On whether he is again looking for a big score:

My confidence is very good. I am not over confident but I feel really positive about it and what is good is that the batsmen around me are also scoring runs which also helps and that eases the pressure.

On the team's plans to contain the heavy scoring Mohammad Yousuf:

Of course time has to be spent on Mohammad Yousuf but (for) the entire Pakistan team you need a very good plan for each and every single batsman. We're not going to take anyone lightly. We're going to be doing our homework to come out and nullify the effect that they can have. Not to say that we are big on records but I'm also going to be impressing on the guys that we need to maintain Sir Vivian Richards' record in this Test match.

Mohammad Yousuf is challenging it and we would like Sir Vivian Richards to continue holding the most runs in a calendar year.