Richards critical of Richardson

Cricket

Viv Richards, the former West Indies captain, yesterday launched a blistering attack on Richie Richardson's captaincy.

"One reason for the decline in West Indian cricket is lack of leadership," Richards said in a column in The Times of India newspaper. "Richie Richardson is not doing too well and he seems to have allowed things to deteriorate, due to which people have started taking advantage."

In his column yesterday Richards said Brian Lara had got "everything in the making to be a good captain."

"Brian has the confidence, he is a match-winner and he is a run-getter," Richards added. "Brian might look a little laid back, but he has got a wonderful knowledge of the game."

World Cup, page 27