THERE IS SELFISHNESS, there is selfishness and then there is Brian Lara.
Ricky Ponting commented that Lara's record smash of 400 wrecked the possibility of a West Indies victory, a statement that was not met with the best favour by many West Indians. And certainly not by Lara himself.
However, it is most interesting that his reply to Ponting's statement was carried in yesterday's publication on the same page on which there was a story which spoke about Lara playing golf in a tournament.
Now, this is the same man who has a fractured finger, an injury which prevented him from playing in the first One Day International - which his team lost - and was slated to prevent him from playing the first three ODIs.
This is a man who had to seek relief on the final day of the final Test - after he had set his new mark, naturally.
But he has time to play golf. This is selfishness to an unprecedented level.
What is especially galling, though, is that Lara was playing with Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes and Ian Bishop, among others. These are the elders, the big men of West Indies cricket - and here they are playing with a current West Indies captain in a situation that they must know is wrong.
Colin Croft is the only person of influence who has had the guts to speak out on the matter.
Organisations take on the characteristics of their leaders and the West Indies team is no different. There is a reason why a bunch of professional cricketers can make 47 runs and not seem too ashamed.
They get their money, no matter the team result, just like how their captain gets his record. Who cares about the team?
