West Indies batting legend Brian Lara said that pouring money into the Windies’ cricket ecosystem will not necessarily improve their
game as well. However, his comments came in the wake of the team’s disappointing performance against England in the ongoing opening
Test as well.

However, West Indies are on the verge of a humiliating loss at Lord’s. The hosts bowled them out for 121 on Day 1 before amassing 371 to take a significant first-innings lead as well. At the end of the second day, the West Indies are struggling at 79-6, needing 171 more to make England bat again.

Speaking on BBC’s World Service’s Stumped podcast, Lara said, “If you put 100 million, 200 million dollars into the West Indies’ bank account, is it going to change the way we play the game? I’m not sure. We are not harnessing the talent that we have. The West Indies Cricket Board hasn’t done the right job in attracting these sponsors to ensure that at least grassroots, but also the academy, all the different things, the facilities, are up to standard. I think these things are very, very important.”

However, West Indies came into the series with some hope especially on the bowling front after Shamar Joseph’s stunning show over Australia in Brisbane in January as well.

“We don’t have anybody coming through the gate. I walked in Lord’s about 7.30am on Wednesday and outside there were people waiting. That was something I was accustomed to as a kid, getting to the Queens Park [in Trinidad and Tobago] at 05.30 and waiting for the gate to be open. That’s not happening. You get there at 11 o’clock and there is an empty stadium,” Brian Lara concluded.