Lara at a low after loss

Brian Lara shows the strain as West Indies slip towards defeat in Antigua © Getty Images

View photo story

West Indies captain Brian Lara accepts his team face “desperate times” as they try to make up for successive World Cup defeats and somehow qualify for the semi-finals of their own tournament.

The seven-wicket Super Eight setback against New Zealand featured another example of the Windies batting falling well short of the required standard.

They managed only 177 all out at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, leaving more than five overs unused after being put in on a pitch showing the effects of a night under cover from rain - and could not stop the Kiwis winning with more than 10 overs to spare.

It means the hosts must win at least three of their four remaining second-stage matches - a fact not lost on Lara.

“We’ve got to get into the frame of mind of winning everything from now on,” he said.

“These are really desperate times and the guys have to pick themselves up and know what is in front of them.”

The impressive Jacob Oram dismisses Marlon Samuels

Lara also defended the decision to leave out strike bowler Jerome Taylor in favour of Lendl Simmons, who was deployed as an extra batsman at number eight.

“We haven’t scored 250 runs yet in the tournament, so we thought we’d try to strengthen the batting as much as possible and try to post a total or chase down whatever we had to,” Lara explained.

“I don’t think the difference in the game today was the significance of a bowler. You could have 10 bowlers out there - but if you’ve only got 177 to defend it will be no good.”

While Lara must try to work out a winning formula quickly, opposite number Stephen Fleming is in a significantly more favourable position.

New Zealand became only the second side, after favourites Australia, to post four points in the Super Eight - and, after three bowlers had taken three wickets each and Scott Styris made an unbeaten 80 to clinch victory, Fleming had plenty to smile about.

“It was a good toss to win and the two opening bowlers [Shane Bond and Michael Mason] really set the scene,” he said.

Scott Styris' fine unbeaten 80 carries New Zealand home

“They didn’t take wickets 'til probably the 10th over but the pressure they created set up the rest of the innings.

“There was just enough in it for Jacob [Oram]. He got more bounce than anyone else and was able to cause some discomfort and pick up the wickets that perhaps the opening bowlers could have easily done as well.

“We had to concentrate on grinding away and we picked up wickets at key times. We were able to maintain pressure and keep them to a score that was below par.”

Styris added: “I was pretty happy with today. I was struggling a bit with the ball and today I think I’ve bowled as well as I have since coming back from injury a couple of months ago.

“Once Chris Gayle got going, I thought we would be chasing a big score. But the guys came back and bowled really well as a group and we were rapt to only be chasing 170.

“Because we were only chasing around 170 we knew we had time; we knew we didn’t need to take a risk.”