Skipper Brian Lara predicts big things for his West Indies team as it enters Sunday's Champions Trophy final against Australia looking to become the first team to successfully defend the tournament title.
``I think we have exciting times ahead, especially in one-dayers,'' Lara said of the West Indies, seeking to revive its reputation of past decades when the Caribbean outfit was the team to beat in limited-overs internationals
The West Indies' first obstacle on its comeback trail is world No. 1 Australia, winner of the past two World Cups.
Australia makes its first appearance in the final of the Champions Trophy, cricket's second biggest limited-overs tournament. The Australians have twice faltered in the semifinals since the biennial event's inception in 1998.
Ranked seventh in the ICC world standings, the West Indies is drawing inspiration from its 10-run victory over Australia in the preliminary round of the Champions Trophy.
``Our one-day game has always been pretty good, it just required a little bit of fine-tuning,'' said Lara after his team's crushing six-wicket semifinals win Thursday over world No. 2 South Africa at Jaipur.
The defending champion West Indies was forced to qualify for the Champions Trophy after its ranking slipped below the top six, making it ineligible for direct entry to the tournament under a revised format.
``It's nice to be playing the world champion in the final. That says a lot about our effort . . . and now we're looking forward to the challenge,'' Lara said.
``We are building up the momentum and the guys have started believing in themselves.''
The West Indies flew into Mumbai on Friday, analyzing its prospects against a rival to whom it lost a tri-series final at Kuala Lumpur in September.
``I won't say it's an unfinished business against Australia. It just feels nice to play them in the final, and we're backing ourselves,'' Lara said.
The title game brings the teams back to Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium where the West Indies began its title defence with the stunning victory over Australia on Oct. 18, but Lara does not read too much into that result.
``We've got to realize that we're going to play a completely different opposition. Australia has gained some momentum since it lost to us,'' he said, adding his team had already played three qualifying matches ahead of that encounter, while Australia was playing its first game of the tournament.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
