Watching the master at work

During today's World Cup encounter with Bangladesh three things stood out. The West Indies kept their Cup hopes alive, the ground in Ireland looked very, very cold and Brian Lara played one cricket stroke that brought a little smile to my face. The way he balanced his weight on his left leg, then lifted his right leg in the air before whipping his bat across the line of the ball for an immaculately timed pull shot for four, was pure batting magic. After standing like a zombie in the outfield for three brilliant Lara Test-match centuries - during our recent Test series in the Caribbean - nothing the elegant left hander does will surprise me. Although he only scored a handful of runs today, that one stroke provided me with enough entertainment for the whole second-round game.

On a slow Irish pitch, the competitors from Bangladesh fought bravely against the Ambrose-less Calypso kings, or kids if more recent form is anything to go by. The old saying that catches win matches will be posted in the West Indies changing room next game, because a stronger team than Bangladesh will make the Windies pay for so many fielding errors. The freezing conditions couldn't have helped the motivation to catch those hard white cricket balls but at the end of the day they cannot afford to drop simple catches if they hope to progress to the final rounds.

If I were part of the West Indies management team I would be out purchasing as many packets of 'hand warmers' as I could get my hands on. Knowing how much Brian Lara's team dislikes the foreign cold conditions they should be taking all precautions they possibly can if those vital catches are going to be held. In this day of masseurs, fitness trainers, dieticians and psychologists, every element of success is critical with teams looking at all options to gain any edge they can muster. I would bet the South Africans have every device available to keep their players as comfortable and motivated as is humanly possible. It may well be this added professionalism that makes the difference in this unpredictable one-day tournament.

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