Cracks in west Indies team, bad news for World Cup

St Peter's, Antigua, Mar 31 (UNI) The news that differences have surfaced in the West Indies team could not have come in worse time both for the World Cup and the ICC.

With India and Pakistan back home after their early exit and now the West Indies on the verge of elimination, having already lost two Super Eight league matches, it is not a very rosy picture for the tournament.

And the reported cracks in the host team has added to the woes.

''This is sad if true,'' said sports coach W Richard.

''I am not happy that no Antigua player is in the West Indies team but I will still like them to win.'' West Indies need to survive in their other four league matches for the sake of the World cup, he said, because ''If we lose, the local interest what ever little is left will be over and then it will left for TV viewing by the people whose countries will be still playing in the tournament''.

The reported differences came to surface after captain Brian Lara's short-listing of his playing XIs came in for criticism from none other than national selector and legend Andy Roberts.

At issue was the non-selection of Jerome Taylor, the fastest bowler in the squad for the game against New Zealand on Thursday.

According to local mediapersons, Lara -- and not coach Bennet King -- has the final say in choosing playing XI, and Taylor was rested after he went for 67 runs in his 10 overs against Australia, and opener Lendl Simmons brought in for him.

Surprisingly, Dwayne Smith, normally a second or even third change bowler who sent down just the one over against Australia, was given the new ball.

''I can't find the words to describe it. If you play an extra batsman at number eight, he has to be able to bowl. All I can say is that (opener Lendl) Simmons must have changed roles since I last saw him,'' Roberts said.

Lara was not willing to have Andy his way. ''I can simply say to Andy that I did not select this World Cup squad. I was not there in the meeting. The team was selected without me. But, I still go out there and fight my very best with the squad given to me,'' the skipper said.

''We're just not playing well as a team, especially in the batting department,'' he said.

''If we are going to win the World Cup, it's not just going to be one or two of them, or just me -- it has to be the entire team,'' said Lara, rubbing salt into his own team's wounds.

UNI