November 15, 2006	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1427

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LAHORE, Nov 14: West Indian skipper Brian Lara warned on Tuesday that his team would be making a comeback in the three-Test series after the tourists had lost the first Test by nine wickets here at the Gaddafi Stadium.

"Pakistan played better than us here but I firmly believe that my boys will recover soon to stage a comeback in the series," said the record-breaking left-hander in a post-match news conference.

"Pakistan also lost the first Test on their last tour to the West Indies last year but then recovered to win the second to level the series."

Lara, however, agreed with his Pakistani counterpart Inzamam-ul-Haq, that getting out to a low total in the first innings was a major setback for the West Indies and they never recovered from it.

"No captain would like to see his team bundled out for a low score after winning the toss," said Lara whose first ever century on Pakistan soil went much in vain on Tuesday. “We played ordinary cricket on the first day and paid for it.”

“In the second innings, both myself and Chanderpaul tried hard to extend the innings to a further 50 or 60 overs and, had we managed that, we would have succeeded in earning a draw,” the veteran of 129 Test said. Chanderpaul hit 81 and featured in a fifth-wicket stand of 137 with his captain on the fourth day but could not save their team from heavy defeat.

Lara praised the performance of Pakistan team in the Test and especially admired Mohammad Yousuf and fast bowler Umar Gul for their outstanding contributions in the match.

He said since the West Indies was switching to Test cricket after a string of ODIs, it was taking them some time to adjust but quickly added that it was no excuse for his team’s loss.

Reuters adds: “We have been playing two months of one-day cricket and have had just a two-day game before this switch to Tests. It is tough but it is something we have to do quickly,” said Lara.

“We have to have a professional outlook, show more determination and think about 15 sessions of Test cricket. We can't allow the elements to get to us.”

“Beating Pakistan at home is a tough proposition. We must remain optimistic. We have the bowlers to take 20 wickets, we just need to put enough runs on the board for them,” he said.