Warwickshire's attitude "very silly"

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It is cloudy but quite bright in Leeds and play should start on time. It doesn't look like Yorkshire are going to be bailed out by the weather.

I was perusing the impressive cricket library at the low boarding house this morning and came across Garry Sobers' autobiography.

This was Sobers' sage, well-informed take on Brian Lara's stay with Warwickshire.

"At Warwickshire he set a lot of good examples that weren't followed by other players. He gave the county service than no-one has ever given, before or since. He told me it worried him that he was setting a bad example in certain respects but I told him to pay no attention because he was delivering the goods. It is no use pointing out the faults if you don't point out the good things. Which is the best example to follow?

"There were players in that Warwickshire team who made allegations about him, such as he left the field when there was nothing wrong with him. They also complained about how much money he was getting but he was earning it by winning games and trophies for them. He put Warwickshire in a position that they, nor any other county come to that, had ever been in before, I told him, "Brian, don't worry about that. Let them say what they want. You are performing. The day you stop performing then you have to start worrying and look at other things.

"I found the attitude at Warwickshire very silly. There is often jealousy; people in the team who are envious of the slightest thing you do. They will try to make a mountain of things and encourage other people to see it their way just for spite. I know because the same sorts of criticism were aimed at me and the majority of them were totally unfounded."

Yes Garry. Whatever you say Garry,