PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, (Reuters) - Brian Lara believes West Indies can still win the second Test against England despite another batting collapse which saw the home side slip to 189 for eight at the end of day one yesterday.
Lara failed with the bat for the third innings in succession as West Indies slumped from 100 without loss to end the day in trouble, but the captain refused to throw in the towel with four days still to go.
``I have a gut feeling that the best cricket of this match is still to come,'' a defiant Lara said.
``Obviously I am disappointed after a great start but if the last two wickets can make a few more runs today then I don't think we're out of this match.''
Lara has made only 23 in his three visits to the middle so far in the series, but he said the runs would come sooner rather than later.
``This is my 104th Test match, I've played a lot of Test cricket and I know how to come through these things,'' Lara said. ``I am actually looking forward to coming through it and scoring some runs.''
The captain was happy with his decision to bat after winning the toss and said it was simply a matter for individual players to realise what went wrong.
But he promised: ``We are not giving up the ghost like we did in Jamaica.''
England won the first Test in Jamaica by 10 wickets, with West Indies collapsing to 47 all out in their second innings - their lowest ever Test score.