Legendary cricketer and former Windies captain Brian Lara has urged the top sides to take up the responsibility “to ensure that the integrity of the game is upheld”. While delivering the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey lecture, Lara stated that the top ranked sides in the world have a responsibility to “show the way and the lead the way” in which the game is played.
“The highest-ranked team in the world has the responsibility to ensure that the integrity of the game is upheld every single time they play,” Lara was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo. And that the spirit of cricket is with them every time they enter the field,” he added.
The batsman who was an epitome of playing big innings in Test cricket said that there were occasions in 1980’s and 1990’s when he felt that the tactics employed by West Indies resulted in them “playing the game in a way it should never, ever be played.”
Lara said that though West Indies dominated World Cricket during that time, he wasn’t particularly proud of the way they played their cricket during this period. He mentioned the 1980 series against the Black Caps when Colin Croft barged an umpire, and then Michael Holding kicked the stumps in frustration. Along with this he also mentioned the series against Pakistan in 1988 and against England in 1990 when West Indies employed a certain amount of gamesmanship to win at any cost.
“I grew up at a time when West Indies dominated the world. For 15 years from 1980, the West Indies never lost a Test series. And just before that, Colin Croft decided he was going to take a piece out of Fred Goodall’s shoulder and ran into him during a Test Match,” he said.
“Michael Holding decided he was no longer a cricketer, he was a footballer and he kicked a stump. I’m sure the occurrences during that period had a big effect on cricket,” he added.
Lara also admitted that he was left feeling embarrassed when a series of umpiring decisions helped the Caribbean team win against Pakistan. He also added that to seeing his heroes indulge in such an act.
The former left-handed batsman admitted to being “embarrassed” when a series of umpiring decisions helped West Indies defeat Pakistan in 1988.