Cricket: Lara wants Board to 'face the facts'

Brian Lara says his dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board of Control will force all the problems in Caribbean cricket out into the open.

Lara withdrew from the West Indies' tour to Australia after being fined by the WICBC - along with three other players - for misconduct during last summer's series in England.

The 26-year-old batsman said that he had "assessed my situation and I thought that I could not continue playing cricket under the same problems that keep coming up.

"My issue is a very small one in the entire scenario and hopefully next Friday when the West Indies board meet they could address the real facts and what's facing West Indies cricket."

The WICBC have scheduled a meeting for 15 December in Barbados to address the dispute.

Lara said the Board "will now have to account to the people. So, too, the players will have to account to the people."

For those who would prefer he fight his battles at the crease, Lara suggested that the World Series Cup is the only series he will miss. He said: "If I am allowed back into the team, whenever, I will just assess the situation and see if I can play under the same environment."

Lara has won the backing of Trinidad and Tobago's sports minister, Pamela Nicholson. "I am very supportive of the line Brian took," Nicholson said.

There is precedent for governments intervening in cricket controversies and Trinidad's prime minister, Basdeo Panday, has said that "if it becomes necessary, government could become involved in resolving the matter."