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West Indies fast bowling legend Curtly Ambrose believes batting icon Brian Lara was in too much of a rush to claim the post of team captain, going on to find the task tougher than he expected.

Having previously played under another bowling great, Courtney Walsh, Lara officially took charge of the West Indies team for the 1997-98 England tour of the Caribbean.  The move was not without some controversy at the time, as some felt the then 28-year-old had been instrumental in forcing Walsh out of the post.  Ambrose seems to have been among them.

“Brian Lara, to me, was too hasty to lead the West Indies team. We knew he was going to be the natural successor to Courtney Walsh because when Courtney Walsh became the captain he [Walsh] had a couple of years left in him and all Brian Lara had to do was just wait on his turn because Courtney was doing a fairly good job,” Ambrose told the Antigua Observer.

Walsh had taken over the post from Richie Richardson for the 1994-95 West Indies tour of India.  While in charge, the bowler went on to lead the team for 22 Test matches with a record of 6 wins 7 losses and 9 draws.  In ODIs, where he led the team 43 times, the West Indies won 22 lost 20, with one no result.

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Lara ,one the iconic player... winning matches single handedly against best of bowling attacks...but he lacked discipline..which was inherited by many players after Lara's retirement....One of major cause for down spiralling of regional cricket .

In reply to Onionman0

Slandered by the wicked Tim Hector what can a poor Trini do?

Sensational news sells. I heard the interview and Ambrose was set up. He was asked a pointed question about the captaincy transition and merely repeated what he has said before. I believe that he should have been more guarded in his answer. There is nothing to be gained by what he said. But I am really disappointed that out of all the other positive things in the interview, that this grabbed the headlines.

Winston Benjamin was interviewed a few weeks ago and made it crystal clear that neither Kholi nor Smith are as good as Lara was. He elaborated on what made Brian special. Earlier this week Ridley Jacobs remarked that Lara was the best captain that he has seen at the international level. He further said that quite often Lara consulted and listened carefully to members of his team before making decisions. Sadly this information didnt make the news.

Fair comment

In reply to Benjie

Thanks so much for clearing that up. I knew Curtly was more astute than that. He and Walsh have always been above engaging in the cheap politics of WI cricket.

You know by the way, Ambrose said that in his book. Ambrose planned to retire in 1998 and it was leaked to the mefka. Lara flew to Barbados and negged him not to retire and eventually he changed his mind

In reply to Benjie

Ridley Jacobs? Didn't Ridley once blame Lara's captaincy as one reason for the demise of WI cricket?

In reply to Benjie

I just looked this up

In reply to spider

just so you derail the man's argument

Lara and the Antiguans from Richardson down had a rocky relationship

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

They were simply protecting the Antiguan legacy but like Tim Hector the pretend to be moral persons. The stinking Antiguans abused both Hooper and Lara and Kanhai...

Metro man Arthurton got vice captain Logie dropped- makes me sick.... was Lara hit by a Benjamin? Hooligans....

In reply to spider

I spoke to Jacobs at the airport and was comfortable saying That

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

Lara had one bad run with curtly on the 1995 toyr. But that was it. Lara as i said, begged Sir Curtly to stay on longer when he was going to retire in 1998, flying to barbados to convince him.