We will continue to talk to the cricketing authorities, as we have done for some months.”Ministers have recently spelled out in strong terms their concerns about the wisdom of the proposed trip in the light of the nature of Robert Mugabe’s regime. They include Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, who complained of the “appalling human rights” record of Zimbabwe and that the situation there was “bleak and deteriorating”.The ECB believes that the effect of the Government words can be interpreted as banning it from undertaking the tour. David Morgan, the ECB chairman, said: “While the ECB has not yet taken a decision in regard to the scheduled tour to Zimbabwe, it now believes that it would have a justifiable reason for postponing the tour under the force majeure provision contained within the ICC procedures, in that the tour does not have the approval of the UK Government.”The ECB has received a letter from the foreign secretary that has been widely interpreted as constituting specific advice not to proceed with the tour, because it would be inconsistent with the Government’s and the EU’s policy in respect of Zimbabwe.”. England have been attempting to play down the need to dismiss Brian Lara cheaply during the build-up to today’s first Test at Sabina Park.
Michael Vaughan, the England captain, has preferred to talk about the West Indian batting as a unit rather than single out their leading player This is not through disrespect. The problem for Vaughan is that should he stand up in front of his team and talk about what Lara is capable of, he runs the risk of turning his bowlers into gibbering wrecks. Sachin Tendulkar may have averaged more during this period but it is the West Indian captain who has played the most memorable innings and scored the most runs.England should spend the same amount of time discussing each West Indian batsman but Vaughan knows that Lara is the man he has to control if he wishes to become the first England captain to win a series here in 36 years. Experts will point out slight flaws in Lara’s technique and suggest he is susceptible in certain areas but what counts is whether his bat makes contact with the ball and where it ends up. Controlling Lara is one of the biggest challenges England’s bowlers will ever face.When England first encountered him at this ground in 1994 there were rumours he had a weakness against the short ball. Devon Malcolm attempted to exploit this and, to his credit, made the left-hander look uncomfortable for a short period.
Lara scored 83 and 28 in the match but this was as good as it was to get for England. In the next four Tests he scored a further 687 runs, including his 375 in Antigua.In Stephen Harmison and Simon Jones England have two bowlers with the pace to unsettle him but on the small grounds of the Caribbean it is risky. Anything with width will be punished and there is nothing these crowds enjoy more than the ball flying to the boundary.Lara also has the tendency to jump across in front of his stumps early in his innings and this makes him susceptible to the in-swinger. With James Anderson looking set to carry the drinks Matthew Hoggard is the bowler whom Vaughan will use if England follow this plan.It is one thing to have a plan but it requires a great deal of skill from a bowler to put it into action.
Against brilliant players you have little margin for error and this makes it crucial for Harmison, Jones, Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff and Ashley Giles to perform at their optimum.Control is the key and this only comes from bowling with discipline and through pitching the ball in the right area. If England can do this they have a chance because Lara, like all West Indian batsmen, wants to score freely and entertain. “I want our fast bowlers to go out and enjoy the experience,” said Vaughan. “They need to believe in their own game but they have been selected because they are good enough to play at this level.
