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Lara, Walsh doubtful starters

West Indian captain Brian Lara and veteran paceman Courtney Walsh are doubtful starters for West Indies's opening World Cup fixture against Pakistan, at Bristol. The duo were to play the final warm-up game against English county side Surrey, at the Oval, but withdrew at the last moment.

"Go and ask the doctors,'' snapped Lara, when asked about his fitness. The master batsman has been struggling with a wrist injury since early April.
Strike bowler Walsh missed the game against Gloucestershire at the weekend, and team officials claimed that a knee injury forced him to opt out.

Injury to either of these key players would pose serious problems to the team composition. After Carl Hooper's untimely retirement, Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul hold the key to the West Indies's fortunes in this edition of the World Cup.
There was good news for the Windies despite these injury problems. Wicket-keeper-opener Ridley Jacobs picked up from where he had left off and scored 80 on Wednesday. The West Indies scored a healthy 224 of the allotted 40 overs with a fine 99-run partnership between Jacobs and Chanderpaul, who scored 46. Hooper's replacement, the 20-year old Ricardo Powell, notched up a quick-fire 53 of 23 balls.

The West Indies cricketers could haul in close to US $700,000 if they lift the Cup at Lord's on June 20.

A release from the West Indies Cricket Board said: "If the team reaches the semi-finals they get US $50,000, if they get to the final they receive US $100,000, and a win for the Windies brings a bounty of US $200,000.'' It added: "The World Cup Champions...collect the prestigious golden World Cup. All the money goes to the players.''

Agencies