West Indies no pushovers in World Cup, asserts Sobers

Bridgetown, Barbados (UNI) Rankings may suggest otherwise but the West Indies, after beating India in the home series, is on a high and they won't be pushovers when they host the World Cup next year, asserts Caribbean cricket legend Sir Gary Sobers.

Hailed as the best allrounder to grace the game ever, Sobers was confident that Brian Lara's side would live up to the expectations in front of their home crowd during the showpiece event next year.

''I think that we've got a good chance (in the World Cup). I think we've turned the corner,'' Sobers told CMC Sports Saturday.

Referring to the side's 4-1 win in the ODI series against India, the Caribbean legend said, ''When we played against India, it showed signs that we have turned the corner and I hope we will continue to progress from there.'' He, however, regretted that frequent outside interference led to West Indies' fall from grace.

''West Indies cricket has suffered tremendously with all the interferences over the years and a team can never be balanced or can never work well with so many interferences,'' he rued.

''A team needs continuity and West Indies cricket really hasn't had the continuity in the last five or six years. They've been always problems one way or the other. We hope that they will be settled and you'll see West Indies cricket back on the right path again,'' he added.

Sobers, however, remains optimistic of a revival in the fortune of the game in the islands.

''One hopes that West Indies cricket will rise again. They've got all the talent in the world, it's just being able to put it in the right format and to be able to organise it properly and have everything in right perspective,'' he explained.

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