P Deeley: Lara heckled as Warwickshire crash out (29 Jul 1998)

29 July 1998

Lara heckled as Warwickshire crash out

By Peter Deeley

BRIAN LARA endured further heckling from his own supporters when Warwickshire crashed out of the quarter-finals of the NatWest Trophy, at Leicester yesterday, then said: "I seem to be one of the most hated men here."

As the Birmingham side left the field after being beaten by eight wickets, one follower shouted at the West Indian: "You are getting oe200,000 a year and I have taken a day off work to watch this rubbish." Another was screaming abuse as Lara appeared on the balcony.

Warwickshire - and Lara, in particular - were subjected to some jeering at the weekend after they lost their home championship game to Essex.

Then one Birmingham newspaper accused him of "losing the plot" as captain, while another said Warwickshire's problem lay as much in the administration as on the field.

Lara's answer yesterday was to rebuke the club followers. "They are missing the point of being supporters. When times are good, you support and equally when times are bad. But that does not seem to be the case at the moment. I don't think these are Warwickshire fans. No player in the side goes out there to lose and if the fans can't respect that, then I can't class them as proper supporters."

Lara added: "This defeat has been a tremendous blow to me," comparing it with the West Indies' defeat at home by Australia in the Frank Worrell Trophy.

Asked if he was considering resigning, Lara said: "I would need to be mad to chuck it in. I still want to play cricket."

Of Warwickshire's recent performances, he said: "All the players are very embarrassed and so am I. But left up to me, I will certainly see it through."

Before the game, Warwickshire chief executive Dennis Amiss confirmed that he wanted Lara to complete the season as captain.

Warwickshire were bowled out for 98, their lowest score in the competition, with Alan Mullally taking a competition-best five for 18. His captain, Chris Lewis, said of the England selectors' decision to overlook Mullally in the Trent Bridge Test: "They should spend some time at Leicester".

Joining Leicestershire in the semi-finals are Hampshire, who thrashed Middlesex at Lord's, Lancashire, who defeated Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford and Derbyshire, who beat Surrey at the Oval.

22 Febraury 1998: Lara agrees to three years at Warwickshire 13 May 1996: The Sun King is back on course following a winter of discontent 5 April 1998: Lara now the captain who has everything

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)