West Indies' poor showing upsets Lloyd

For two-time World Cup-winning captain Lloyd, involved with the squad as the ''team co-ordinator'', a string of poor performances in the Super Eights -- four defeats in as many games -- has upset the legend who thinks that the team has betrayed the hopes and aspirations of cricket fans.

''Our main problem was lack of fitness,'' he said. ''The resignation of fitness coach Bryce Cavanagh just before the World Cup was the main factor behind our defeats. We were just not as sharp as the other teams. We did well in the Champions Trophy in India last year because we had our fitness trainer and he had worked hard with the squad.'' ''In cricket, fitness is 60 to 70 per cent of your game.

It is an important factor that needs to be looked into in future. If you are not fit, it will reflect on your fielding which is vital in one-day cricket.'' On what had gone wrong in a campaign the West Indies had set out with so much hope with the expectation of breaking the jinx of the home team never having won the World Cup, Lloyd said, ''We have the players. What we need is a good format for our cricket.'' ''Most of the top teams are much ahead of us in technology, and we are still scratching at the surface. We need an academy to polish our talent.

''There are many things that need to be done if we are to maintain our standard and standing in international cricket,'' Llyod said.

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