/ Editor / 03 April 2007 /

West Indies legend Michael Holding has called for captain Brian Lara to be axed following the disastrous start to their Super 8 campaign.

Despite winning all three group games to carry two points through to the next phase, the Windies' World Cup hopes have been left hanging by a thread after three successive heavy defeats.

The step up in quality has been too much for the host nation and they have been soundly beaten by Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Holding now believes that Lara needs to relinquish the captaincy if the Windies are to see any improvement in their game.

"Lara has to step aside, not necessarily as a player, but as captain," he said. "He appears bigger than the game. He has got whatever he has wanted.

"We haven't seen an improvement when he has taken over the captaincy. Everyone knows he's a great batsman but that's not what it takes to lead a team. I can't even say he is a good captain tactically."

Another former great, Colin Croft, feels things cannot get much worse for the Caribbean outfit, describing the situation as 'desperate'.

Croft was particularly scathing of the 113-run defeat to Sri Lanka on Sunday and told the Guyana Chronicle: "It was terrible and like all the West Indian supporters and former players, this hurts terribly.

"I don't think that the West Indies have anything special about them now. I cannot remember seeing a team look so poor on the field. Times are now decidedly desperate for the West Indies cricket team, and this has nothing to do with the World Cup. The West Indies team, based on what I saw on Sunday, is in a very bad state."

Punters appear to be of a similar mindset and cannot see the Windies reaching the last four, with no prices on offer for a Super 8 exit in the 'West Indies - Stage of Elimination market'.

Lara's men have a week to get themselves prepared for a crucial game against South Africa in Grenada, but the Proteas are currently 1.38 favourites to condemn the Windies (2.98) to another defeat.

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>